“ANGELIC EMISSARIES FROM GOD”.
PSALM 103 20/21.
SCEPTICISM.
In our day and age we have been indoctrinated systematically by a
perpetual story line belonging to rabid film producers, novelists,
script writers and television pundits. Our children and now our
grandchildren, are feasting their eyes upon programs that belong to a
world of fantasy. Monsters of every description are flooding our
screens with such frequency that it is impossible for younger children
to be able to differentiate between fact and fiction. If fully grown
adults are known to confound screen personalities and their fictional
roles with their actual characters, how much more will children soon
identify talking dragons, shrieking spectres, and bloodsucking
vampires, with ordinary human behaviour? Absurd? Well, we have yet
to see the full effects of constant television upon infantile minds, but
there are many qualified people who are convinced we have not yet
seen all the implications of frightful images impressed upon
vulnerable and innocent mentality.
As for our highly intelligent adult audiences they were much less
exposed to this world of fantasy. They found it no problem to be set
free from nymphs, fairies, mermaids and giants, unless it was to be
informed of the non-existence of Christmas! When it comes to angels
they are conveniently stored away in the cupboard of forgetfulness
with all the above mentioned, for they would appear to belong to the
same fictional wardrobes! Angels are now removed for the same
reason God is discarded, namely, human beings are simply not
obliged to believe in something that is invisible, and so if God does
exist then He should expose Himself to all! But they conveniently
forget that God has done precisely this through His Only Son Jesus
Christ our Lord! A visible God means instant death to those who see
His face : Ex 34. Forgetting that for man to exist he must believe in
certain objects without seeing them - such as electricity, wind,
disease, antibodies, physical growth, plus the law of gravitation - he
would be fully impoverished, unstable and living in perpetual fear, if
he applies this argument to each of his physical senses. If he reply
1
that these invisible objects have been proved to exist by the effects
they produce, we answer in a similar fashion and say that God has
done exactly what these agnostic people demand - a universe of
extraordinary beauty and a world of unsurpassed glory. On a
secondary plane, God is believed by the effects of His infinite power.
But on the higher level, God is believed through a revelation of
Himself - the only valid way whereby Christian faith is born.
However, with all the foregoing criterion we believe there are most
trustworthy witnesses to the existence of angels. Christians are
altogether content to believe in their existence through the testimony
of Holy Scripture but inasmuch as unbelief cry’s aloud for evidence,
sometimes it is good to halt scepticism in it’s tracks, though it be for
just a few seconds. Two decades past, Television produced a
succession of programmes on paranormal experiences. Two were
beyond all controversy, though it must be said that even the
phenomenal experiences of honest people will be set on one side by
those who are prejudicial agnostics. One man related the time when
he was travelling across the Atlantic Ocean in a giant Jumbo. All went
well, until they were about to descend. The plane began to be
unsteady. All the passengers began to be alarmed. Soon, the aircraft
seemed out of control, and then great dismay was evident among
stewards and passengers. The jet went into a dive but somehow the
chief pilot managed to straighten the aircraft, but relayed instructions
to all that there would be a crash landing. With everyone filled with
terror at the prospect of death, the plane jolted violently, when it
made contact with a quay belonging to a Canadian city on the east
coast . The undercarriage was torn into shreds, fire broke out, and
pandemonium ensued. So mighty was the force of the landing that
when the machine finally came to a halt it was one great bonfire.
One man survived. Believing he must die because he knew he was
trapped in the wreckage, and with corpses all around him, he
resigned himself to death. Within all the fire and smoke he saw a
figure. It was dark but no features could be discerned. An arm was
raised and a hand beckoned him to follow. Without seeing his
features, this garbed spectre turned and began to walk this way and
that way through a maze of fiery steel, while this solitary survivor
followed him through a torrid heat and fumes that made him think of
2
Hell. This tall and erect figure moved as though neither the fire or
the fumes had any affect upon him. He never turned around to
investigate the appearance of the man who followed behind him, and
when he walked into the daylight he gave no word or gesture by way
of farewell. When the lone survivor had walked clear of the wreckage
he sought the one who guided him out of the plane, but it was
though he had just vanished into thin air. He had some aches and
pains, but amazingly his clothes were free from the smell of smoke !
Indeed, there was not a singe to be found. One thing he was
absolutely positive about, but for that Stranger he would never have
discovered an exit. On reflection he became convinced it must have
been a heavenly visitor. But why he alone was saved he had no idea,
either at the time or when he gave the interview.
Another interesting story came from a woman who had once been a
fanatical mountaineer. So confident was she of her skill that she
never knew what it was to be afraid. Climbing a most lofty height
with another woman belonging to their association, they were most
surprised when their adventure took them to a very narrow ledge.
Both had doubts about the possibility of walking along it, and so they
had a very brief dialogue and concluded that they would make the
attempt. Her partner managed to scrape along the ledge to a more
secure piece of rock, but when she herself made the attempt, she
lost her balance and began to fall. Her feet had dropped from the
ledge, and she began to descend. But within seconds of her tumble
she became aware of a power that raised her back again. Quietly, she
even described it as being folded in human arms, and all was
completed within seconds. For someone who did not believe “divine
interventions”, this woman became a believer in these messengers of
God Almighty.
A great sensation occurred throughout the western world after the
Battle of Mons in Belgium. The British “Expeditionary Force” which
consisted of 7O, OOO men, withstood the German advance valiantly,
but was forced to retreat with great casualties. However, all at once,
the German forces fled for their lives leaving their rifles and artillery
behind them. According to genuine reports given by those Germans
who had fled, great white figures appeared over the British lines, and
3
fear seized the hearts of all German ranks. No English soldier
witnessed this marvellous event, but they watched with wonder at
the panic among the German infantry. Of course, it is in the very
nature of things, that even if this were true most unbelieving
individuals would soon quash the story outright. Yet those German
soldiers would not give up their convictions !
Sadducees among the Jewish denominations refused to believe in the
existence of Angels: Acts 23/8. But without unerring proof of this
subsidiary doctrine before the eyes of those who already dismiss with
impatience the existence of Almighty God, yet to all who are doubtful
of the subject of Angels, it will not seen reasonable to offer a simple
suggestion to those who are candid.
Life has multitudes of grades and myriads of categories, but are
normally described within the following. There is first of all a state of
existence called “Vegetation” . Secondly, there is a life realm called
“Insectile” existence. Thirdly, there is another and higher plane of
existence known as “Animality”. Fourthly, we have a state of
existence even higher usually known as “Anthropology”. Fifthly, we
rise into the celestial province, and to an invisible state of being
called “Angelology” . Sixthly, and finally, we ascend a higher scale of
existence and discover the life from which all species of life has been
derived. This last is the highest of all existences because it is the Life
of Deity, from whom every other form of life has been created.
Because we believe that there can be only One God and reject the
possibility of there being another absolutely like Him. We call this
existence “Monotheism” against a multiplicity of non-existent gods
called “Polytheism “. However, unless we are “Evolutionists” we
recognise this series of ascending spheres of existence, from a lower
to the very highest of all existing states. And so an angelic existence
is one that commends itself, from a lower to the very highest of all
existing states. And so, an angelic existence is one that commends
itself as reasonable if one recognises the lower regions and even
more rational if the Supreme God is identified above them all.
Impressions of artists must be dismissed, mainly because they are
based upon scenes depicted in Isaiah chapter six, Ezekiel chapter
4
one, and Revelation chapter four. Traditionally, there are known to be
two categories of angelic beings - Seraphim’s and Cherubim’s.
“Seraphim” denotes “Burners” or “Burning”, doubtless to signify fiery
nature as though a reflection of God Himself Psalm 1O4/4. A fire is a
symbol of God’s holiness, especially His wrath Heb.12/29. As for the
Cherubim’s these are even more obscure in spite of those charming
views which portray them as tiny infants known as “gargoyles” who
are continually smiling at visitors from the tops of Cathedrals !They
guarded the “Tree of Life” lest Adam make some attempt to partake
of the fruit and thus live for ever in a state of mortal sin! They make
their appearance again both over the “Ark of the “Covenant” where
they kneel facing each other with their two wing tips touching, and
their faces looking down into the sacred chest. They are also
embroided upon the “Veil” which secluded the Holy Place where the
priests ministered daily, and the “Holy of Holies” into which the High
Priest went once a year to make the annual “Day of Atonement”.
However, it is doubtful whether Seraphim’s or Cherubim’s are genuine
Angels ! Those three references mentioned above are quite distinct
from the “Hosts” or “Armies” of Angels Gen. 32/2; Dan.4/35. They
are probably representatives of the life force contained within all
creatures ! The “Four Beasts” in Revelation chapter four convey a
universal nature by their number. As for the translation “Beasts” it
would have been much better to translate “Living Creatures” as we
find it expressed in Ezekiel chapter one and verse four. Unless we be
much mistaken, in Isaiah six, Ezekiel one, and Revelation four, we
have the same Seraphim’s in the Temple, by the River Chebar, and
then in heaven! But we contend that they are not angels as being
“messengers” of God inasmuch as in all other places where angelic
beings reside, their purpose is either to communicate the divine Word
or extend a service! They are in fact “Representatives” of all diverse
forms of creaturely life, such as the “Lion” being symbolic of all wild
beasts, the “Calf” of all domestic animals, the “Man” of all intellectual
powers belonging to mankind, and fourthly, the “Eagle”, for all flying
creatures of the heavens below the firmament. We must also
mention what seems to be quite straight forward to those who are
not shackled to a literalistic interpretation, that these creatures are
only “visionary“! By this we mean that they do not actually exist! 5
they are symbols and figures contained within a “Vision” of Isaiah,
Ezekiel, and John! Each of these prophets saw them literally of
course, but only in vision. These living beings have no existence of
themselves, but were created within the context of a vision, apart
from which they have no individual existence!
1)ANGELIC CREATION.
A) WHEN CREATED.
With profound honesty, no one knows. Copious speculations abound
in certain renowned authors, but they all confess their ignorance in
the matter. Augustine of Hippo has suggested reasonably that they
could have been simultaneous with the creation of the earth. Again,
even more acutely, he suggests the possibility of angels being
created when the Word of God articulated that great dictum in
Genesis1/3! - “LET THERE BE LIGHT“, as though those flaming and
exotic creatures were identical to the devouring fire belonging to
God’s nature Heb.12/29. To support this cogitation he quotes Job
38/7.Here the Lord is informing Job of His great omnipotence in
laying the foundations of the earth. It was a time of Jubilee in heaven
while the “morning stars” seemed to congregate through out all
space to sing the praises of God. Joined to them were the “sons of
God”, who raised their voices with one great thunderous and joyful
shout. Now these “sons of God” have been considerd by most
commentators for many centuries as being great multitudes of
heavenly creatures known as “Angels”. Indeed, to be sure, it does
seem to be beyond the limits of all human ingenuity to refute the
conclusion. When on two other occasions in Job 1/6: 2/1 the same
expression “sons of God” is used, and “Satan” - a fallen angel - is
entitled to be present, it surely follows that the writer must mean the
angelic species.
However, we must be alert at this point. It does not follow that the
identical phrase “sons of God” in Gen 6/2: 6/4 automatically refers to
the same heavenly beings. Otherwise, in spite of very many
theologians holding to this absurd view down the centuries, it is
surely preposterous that Angels should have power to change their
ethereal bodies into the biological structure belonging to the genus of
6
humans. They say they were given power to convert to human forms
- but only when and were God determines ! When those “Father’s” of
the church began this fable they did not ask these crucial questions
such as, “How can angels become incarnate”? “How could angelic
beings with no vital organs receive not only God’s permission, but
also divine power, to become human”? “Angels have no organs for
angelic copulation for they have no gender, how did they have the
ability to cause human women to conceive”? Then, to go a little
further, from whom did they receive that ability to generate those
great “Giants” spoken of in the next chapter ? To say that their
inherent angelic power contributed to such amazing and
extraordinary children is to speak foolishly, for what these silly folk
are saying is just this - “ Angelic beings were endowed by God with
power to become men, to have intercourse with women, and to
produce fabulous children that were gigantic in size“. Then it comes
down to this, God gave angels the power to become human,
secondly that God gave them human seed, that women also had the
ability to conceive gigantic babies. Moreover, it comes down even
further, for we are now called upon to admit that angelic nature
became joined to human nature, precisely as God became Man in the
gospels of the N.T. ! We must now say they had “angelic - human
nature”, together with mother’s who now carried their babies, and
each having two vastly different species! And finally, their offspring
must have had two natures existing together in one body of gigantic
proportions, each tormenting the world by their ghastly violence !
Here is mythological fantasy gone mad. It sounds contemporary, as if
our present day pseudo science - fiction addicts have gathered in
some sleazy barroom and got drunk, but became wildly excited over
what they came up with - angels parachuting from the skies! Today
humans do not produce Heavenly- Earthly beings in real life though
Hollywood doubtless could employ the theme with ease! We are told
to believe that angels made themselves into male spermato, having
angelic - human nature, fertilised wombs, conjoined with the female
cells, then abode for nine months while angelic-human nature just
continued to grow and grow until gigantic babies or monsters were
delivered safely into a horrified human society !
7
Here is the true explanation of what took place in Genesis chapter
six. A serious decline in worship had brought into the world
horrendous decadence, including immorality and violence. Since the
times of Cain and Seth the population became divided and there
existed two distinct communities. Cain had been excommunicated by
his father Adam, but instead of remaining a Nomad, the first thing he
did on reaching the land of Nod on the east of Eden, was to violate
the will of God by building a City. Arrogantly, he named it the City of
“Enoch” after the name of his first born son. Now another line of
generations took place by the birth of Enos to Seth who became the
true seed after the death of Abel. While these two genealogical
strands remained distinct all remained orderly for the human race.
But as soon as the two lines became indistinct, by way of a treaty:
pact: business: social intercourse: or especially by that all crucial
criterion - Religion - then disorder, chaos, jealousy: suspicion :
conspiracy: quarrels: until eventually ferocity broke out among the
two great Empires. A population explosion occurs, that meant
idolatry, immorality, and all social evils, had begun a trail of human
fear, misery, insecurity, and degradation. Each part of the human race
was now subject to lawlessness, and we may be sure our present
crisis with robbery, rape, sodomy, fraud, and adulterous associations,
were all present in a jungle of terror! Both genealogical lines became
blurred, and so the words are graphic when we study the Holy
Record, “That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they
were fair,” and again, “when the sons of God came in unto the
daughters of men and they bear children to them, the same became
mighty men which were of old..”.
But the notion drawn from this tragic event that they were angels in
the disguise of men is ludicrous, characteristic of mythology, and
plainly against all common sense. We pass over this nonsense with
no more comment .
B) HOW CREATED.
For God to create anything it would appear that His word alone is
necessary and the results instant without the slightest interval! No
doubt this is true, for who would query that this was the case with
the creation of both Heaven and Earth? Doubtless they had an
8
instantaneous existence. And yet they are depicted as without any
“form” ! Do we not find in Genesis chapter one a continual growth
and development culminating with a suspension on the Seventh Day?
It would seem that those words “In the beginning God created the
heaven and the earth” brought substance into being and ready for
the moulding and adorning ! All this would involve time and space !
With “Man” it was the same programme. First, there was substance,
then secondly the forming of his constitution from “the dust of the
earth”, which must have involved time Gen.2/7. That God was
capable of creating and forming with just one commanding Word who
can doubt ? But He deemed otherwise, and preferred to create each
of the materials, then shaped, constructed, and adorned them from a
shapeless mass.
We have no information concerning the creation of Angels. We have
a tremendous statement in poetic form concerning a celebrated and
supreme “Anointed Cherub” Ezk.28/14. This has often been identified
as Satan - the King of Tyre being a mere guise just to illustrate the
character of Satan and his fall Ezk.28/2. It would appear, therefore,
that God created the angels with an apt single dictatorial command
of omnipotent power. Short of any more information we are
constrained to humbly admit we are left to our own fertile or infertile
imagination on the matter. That they all were created in incalculable
numbers we have no doubt, and hence God is often called in the
Holy Bible, “The God of Hosts” Psm.8O/7. 8O/19. Amos 5/27. The
following references may be consulted Deut.33/2: Psm.68/17.
Dan.7/1O.Heb.12/22. Rev.5/11.
Moreover it looks very much as though they were created in ranks,
stations, degrees, or hierarchies. A strange and yet impressive
system was worked out by a fictitious author who was bold enough
to call himself after the convert Dionysius The Areopagite from the
Acts of the Apostles Acts 17/34. It was regarded as a genuine work
from the sixth century and remained as such for over one whole
millennium ! But the Apostle Paul does present to us broad hints of
such diverse levels of systems that seem to have the character of
empires or communities Eph.1/21 Col.1/16. 2/1O. Perchance it may
well be that the title mentioned before, “The Lord God of Hosts”- or
9
“Armies” is supposed to convey to us thoughts of “Armed Forces”,
such as brigades, divisions, battalions, and so forth. Jacob testified to
seeing two large companies in a place he called “Mahan aim!” - “Two
Troops” that commentators have interpreted as being the
representatives of both Old and New Testaments Gen32 l/2. It is
assumed that the Lord God sent the companies to prepare him for his
ordeal with Esau his brother who was now marching with four
hundred men to destroy Jacob for gross deception over the birthright
that Esau thought warranted death. In any event Jacob was quite
safe, for the leader of these Hosts was Michael - the very one who
wrestled with him at Penile, whose face Jacob saw and testified of,
saying, “I have seen God face to face” Gen.32/3O. When Peter drew
his sword in Gethsemane he was ordered by Christ to sheath it again,
and at the same time making this stupendous claim, “Thinkest thou
that I cannot now pray to my Father and He shall presently give me
Twelve Legions of Angels”? Twelve being the signature of the Church
of Christ - twelve “Tribes” in the O.T. and twelve Apostles in the N.T.
!They seem to have special prerogatives and assignments over and
above all other regions of angelic creatures. More than this we
neither cannot nor dare not make other speculative remarks on the
manner of their creation or the degrees of eminence that God has
committed into their charge.
C) WHY CREATED.
God always works by His Word. Indeed, the acts of God must never
be understood to mean that God has motion! God has no “Body” or
parts and cannot dwell in a three dimensional existence as we do.
Therefore motion is out of the question, because all He has to do is
to speak. God’s mighty acts are performed by His Word - John 1/3.
Great tribute is given in the scriptures to the voice of God, but the
Voice of God is His Word. Yet His Word is His Son, and all creation
came into existence through His Word, and for His Word Col.1/16.
Ten times in Genesis chapter one we read “God Said” for the purpose
of revealing to us the priority of His “Word” or “Son”. Neither nine nor
eleven times did God speak, but “Ten”, to reveal to His people the
perfection of His speech and the instant effects - for ten is the
number of human perfection !
10
The same Word that said, “Let their be light”, is the same Word of
God that created these strange beings that are known in scripture as
“Angels” . Made by the “Son” they were also made for His sake and
for His glory. Not only was He before everything that exists, but He is
the reason why everything continues to subsist Col.1/17. Heb.1/3.
But these angels have been created by their Creator, and they were
the direct result of Holy omnipotence. God the eternal Word; God the
eternal Son, made them by One single Word, of divine omnipotence.
But angels were not made in the “Image” of God Gen.1/26.- as man
was in the mystery of “Male” and “Female” gender. Neither do we
find that they were begotten for that expression was held in reserve
until the times of the N.T. Epoch. It was reserved for a careful
examination and exposition of that relationship that had existed
throughout all eternity. God is the eternal “Father”, and His Son is the
everlasting Word, and the word “Begotten” intends us to understand
the perpetuity of this never-ceasing generation. On the other hand
Angels had no eternity, for their creation was instantaneous. The Son
ever was; ever is; and ever shall be; “Begotten” within the bosom of
His Father - John 1/18. Angels on the other hand were created from
outside the Father, with a substance that was alien to deity. As man
was formed from the “dust of the earth” and external to the divine
nature, so angels too were made from a foreign material that had no
intrinsic fellowship with the nature belonging to Godhead. God’s Son
was begotten of His Father throughout all eternity, while angels were
made from an unrelated source , as it was with Man.
Angels are called “Spirits” Psm.1O4/4. Yet spirit’s are regarded as
being unseen! Are we not informed of what material they were
made! Not in the slightest degree. Of Man we are told that he is
mere dust of the earth but no hint is given of that matter from which
these strange creatures have been formed. In the verse just quoted
above some hints may well have been inserted to enlighten us over
this matter. It continues to say, “who maketh His angels spirits; His
ministers a flaming fire”! Would this be figurative speech? Unless the
writer is mistaken I cannot think of one text in the Bible were an
angel is described as being a “Fiery Torch” ! Cherubim’s in Genesis 3/
24 where in possession of flaming swords, but they are not described
as being pillars of fire. However, we have already stated that
11
concerning both Cherubim’s an Seraphim’s, they are not Angels, but
characters that exemplify all categories of life. Angels then may well
be streaks of fire to demonstrate the holiness of God their Maker,
partaking continually from that Altar that burns before the throne of
God Is.6/6. God dwells in unapproachable light 1Tim.6/16. And he is
a “Consuming fire” Heb 12/29. Do not these great, majestic, and
friendly beings, reflect the nature of God Himself? Now let us
consider a few more aspects of angelic existence based upon our
Holy Scriptures.
Angels are “Spirit’s” of a fiery nature. But we do not know their form.
Wings belong to those emblematic creatures alone, known as
“Seraphim and Cherubim”, therefore wings are only symbolic of the great speed of these two figures that represent the dynamic power of
all species of “Life”! In the Old and New Testament the angels were
seen in the form of human beings - and they were all in the “male”
gender ! God had given them the power to transform whatever they
are in reality into a human likeness. If we believe the true story of
that individual who escaped miraculously from the great bonfire of a
gigantic aircraft, then it will be understood why it must be so. Had
this fellow been confronted with a being that was similar to those you
see in paintings or on screens, then in all probability he would have
been too stupefied to move an inch. But by a transformation into the
human form, though in disguise, it is calculated to make the incident
or event natural and feasible. A human form, though without identity,
will not terrify, but when a figure from another world suddenly
appears in the fashion of men, it appears quite normal. You will
gather from these words that we are totally incapacitated to describe
what real angels look like in their pristine glory. Yet one or two things
we may conjecture.
Flesh and blood cannot exist in heaven 1Cor.15/5O. It is alien to the
whole environment. Angels, on the other hand, must have a form
from God that accommodates them naturally to that celestial
environment for which they were created. It is taken for granted that
each angel must possess a private character for they are not robots
but living creatures. As humans they have personalities or we fall into
the snare of those liberal theologians who are highly embarrassed
12
over these mysterious individuals and endeavour to de-personalise
them by calling them heavenly “Ideas”! One notion must be true,
namely, that they have forms that are ethereal. As fish need water;
man needs oxygen; therefore creatures that dwell in another
dimension must needs have some necessary subsistence from a
source created by the God who made them - unless that same God is
the One and Only Reservoir !
However, as for the form of an angel, we consider this to be an
altogether invincible fact of their existence. Many are those who insist
that these heavenly beings do not have any bodies at all !Now this is
impossible, for creatures however small or large, are in need of
bodies. Only God is without “body” or “parts”, because He is the
“Spirit”, spiritually, celestially, and altogether with all those divine
attributes that are infinite in goodness, wisdom, and power. But
creatures need both bodies and parts or else they are mere abstract
notions. Are they “ethereal” as modernists seriously contend? Then
are they no creatures for bodiless things simply cannot exist. We may
easily imagine creatures to be just a “thing” without distinct
personalities, but while we only imagine this to be so, it has no
reality. Common sense says “Without such a thing as a body
creatures cannot exist, but if they are bodiless they are no creatures”.
It will be said, “But creatures in heaven will then need space in which
to move. Movement involves time but there is no time in heaven-only
eternity”! But we will have new bodies! Therefore time and space
must exist in heaven because we will remain creatures for as long as
God exists. Obviously space and time will be different than our
present experience in a three-dimensional existence. However, it will
be a higher and a greater form of existence, but still with our fully
redeemed and fully glorified bodies - Rom.8/23. Even so our bodies
will be the same in substance when we rise from the dead, but
enhanced a thousand fold in a fashion we can only dream of now.
While our bodies may be called “Incorporeal” by some, we insist that
a bodiless being is no creature, for creatures exist by an outward
covering. Once creatures are deprived of their bodies they cease to
exist. When we are buried we are not annihilated as the Jehovah’s
Witness’s affirm, for we receive another body the moment we are
released by death 2Cor. 4. 1/8. That will be our eternal resurrection
13
body!
Angel’s must have substance even as we have substance. Remove
this substance and we are creatures no longer. But we cannot fathom
the nature of our own soul’s - how then can we comprehend the
internal reality of an angel ? They must have something analogous to
our invisible souls, but whatever it is, some clothing of this unseen
personality is absolutely vital for it’s very life and being. Man cannot
exist without a substantial covering - neither can Angels! One thing is
for sure - their bodies are not like our bodies! Our bodies were
formed Gen.2/7 while theirs were instantly created. Ours were
formed for “Generation”, hence we were made with bodily organs
that are capable of reproducing ourselves again and again. In other
words, God has endowed human nature with certain powers that are
absent from angelic bodies. For all their great majesty and superior
power they are impotent when it comes to duplicating their species.
Angels may have other advantages concerning which human beings
are totally ignorant, but when it comes to the lofty ability of creating
ourselves over and over again, this is a phenomenon beyond the
bounds of all science - and even the Angels themselves.
Angels have no sexual appetite for they were not made to enjoy a
human relationship of a sexual nature. Angels have no reproductive
organs and therefore they are complete strangers to the marital
programme that has been set for human beings only . We often think
that they must envy us poor mortals because marital joy and bliss is
no part of their angelical communities or compounds. But we may be
mistaken, for all we know they may have celestial delights which
transcend all our conceptions. They have no families. They have no
domestic dwellings. Perhaps they have no private dealings with
others of their categories! Created perfect in one moment of time,
they will no nothing of growth, increase in bounty, or even the
delights of taste, for they were created without organs of digestion.
Whether these magnificent creatures partake of some nourishment of
which we are ignorant is debatable, but that their bodies possess our
five senses is out of the question.
2) ANGELIC SERVICE.
14
A) WORSHIP.
We do not know the total number of angels even as we have no idea
how many humans do exist, have existed, and who will exist before
God terminates the whole. In spite of accumulated billions having
populated both heaven and earth, is it not a stupendous fact that we
face day by day, that withal the gross callousness, brutality, and
general apathy of the human race in a universal context, the whole
world knows the vast inestimable importance of one solitary human
being ! Doubtless it is a slight gleam of light that teaches us of our
once sinless state, and what the Christian church prays for on a daily
basis. Angels were all created good. Whatever the theologians have
written of good or evil, and all that has been designed by the
Almighty according to His unerring providential purposes, God is not
the Author of evil, and cannot be brought to the bar of human
judgment on this subject. Intrinsic goodness is a basic foundational
doctrine of God’s property and must never be compromised in the
slightest degree. Angels were chiefly created for the purpose of
worshipping God, and they worship one who can never miscalculate;
falsify; fabricate; compromise; blunder; lapse; or contradict in any
shape or form. Of course they were always in need of more
knowledge and they must be very conscious of certain limitations
relating to a knowledge of the universe, and of God’s dealings with
man especially. As we poor mortal sinners were made to glorify God
and to enjoy Him forever, so the angels likewise were destined for the
same purpose.
B)PROVIDENCE.
Angels were made to serve man ! Let us qualify this by saying that
they were created for their eternal Lord, even Jesus Christ, who is
not only the Head of the human race-and thus our own Second or
Last Adam - but the Lord of Angelic Hosts! This they do by the
willingness, and the dedication, plus the loving attendance they give
to His church militant.
One day Abraham was sitting at the door of his tent. Three angels in
the forms of men were approaching, Abraham addresses One in a
15
special way calling Him “Lord”. And so he meets Christ in His preincarnate form! Abraham entertains them by providing meals. He has
not the slightest doubt that they can eat. Notwithstanding my
remarks of angels having no digestive systems they are capable of
eating in what appears to be the way of humans. However, another
method of disposing of food must also be possible. Our Lord Jesus
needed no food after His resurrection, yet He ate to prove He was
the same Lord who died upon the cross.
Jacob fled from the face of his brother Esau. In a place known as
Luz, he laid himself down and rested his head upon a pillow. That
night he dreamed a dream that made him terrified. A great ladder
was elongated from earth to heaven. On the top rung he saw Jesus
Christ the Lord of Glory. Angels were travelling up and down upon it
to illustrate their ministry by two-way journey’s - to receive orders
from their Lord; to descend and to minister to those who are in need
of help; and then to ascend again and give their own reports. Our
Lord tells Nathaniel that the ladder depicted Himself - John 1/51.
Again, Elisha resided in a place called Dothan. Around Dothan and his
house the armies of Syria were gathered to take him prisoner at
dawn. With him was some young man - perhaps one of the sons of
the prophets ! They lay down upon their beds as usual and slept until
the morning. But the young man arose and then very casually walked
over to the window. He was mortified. He shook the prophet by the
shoulder and cried, “O alas my master! what shall we do” ? Elisha
had no need to see for himself. He was a prophet, and thus knew
why the young man was dismayed. Confidently, Elisha replied, “Fear
not for they that be with us are more than they who be with them”.
Elisha then lifted up his eyes to heaven and prayed slowly and
deliberately, “Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see”. “And
the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw and behold
the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about
Elisha”. Here angels have interposed for the defence of the two
Israelites who were encircled by Syrian forces. Angels in “chariots of
fire” encircled the pagan armies, though they did not see or know of
their envelopment .
16
Angels have great joy when sinners repent Lk.15/1O. They carry poor
beggars to glory Lk.16/22. At the last day they will swoop down upon
all mankind and conduct everyone to the Judgment Seat Matt. 24/31.
They have many functions, and the scriptures are full of many
interpositions of providence by angelic beings.
B) STUDENTS.
Often this is overlooked by pastors and preachers. This angelical
function includes the necessity of them becoming scholars in that
finest of all Universities - “The School of Christ”. In this old school,
there is one textbook alone that has authority and cannot be super
seeded by any other volume, however renowned or ancient or
scholastic, and that is the sacred source of all doctrines and the
bastion of all spiritual truth - Holy Scripture ! All who are engaged in
the art of preaching must be ordained by Christ who is the Founder
and Principle of this University. Students come from all nations, and
they have various gifts, but they all seek to learn solely from the Holy
Spirit. Only He can teach inwardly, and only He has the power to
elucidate the text and enlighten the eyes.
Yet, in this dynamic School of Theology, there are untold legions who
are probably greater in number than those who are visible - an
Angelic body that are not only assigned to these courses, but actually
wish that terms be longer, lectures be expanded, and hours
increased! Angels attend this school with a deep sense of modesty
and gratitude: Eph.3/1O: 1 PET. 1/12. What says Paul to the saints in
Ephesus ? “Now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places
might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God”. Such a
text has always indicated that Angels-for all their most glorious
power, nobility, goodness, rectitude, and faithfulness, are expected to
learn about the Kingdom of God through the daily ministry of the
Church of Christ! This being so, it follows that Angels are present
among the saints as they listen to expository preaching. They humble
themselves to such a degree that in spite of such intimacy with the
triumphant church in heaven, plus great knowledge obtained over
centuries through angelic service among God’s people since Adam,
yet the Holy Scriptures are inexhaustible sources of divine and human
knowledge, that even angels have not yet absorbed the whole !So
17
they assemble with the most obscure among the saints of God, and
they do it with alacrity and desire. Invisible though they be, they
assemble with their human friends!
Another verse with the same import is found in 1.Peter 1/12. Having
stated how his hearers received the gospel by the Holy Ghost come
down from heaven, Peter makes it clear that these “things angels
desire to look into”. No “Atonement” was made for angelic beings.
They have never known a God who seemingly emptied himself of all
His attributes of Godhead, apparently laying them to one side for a
season - though never losing them - and paradoxically holding them
in abeyance, though in His wisdom His Godhead became evident
from time to time. Angels had no divine blood Acts 2O/28 shed for
them, and yet we are convinced they love their human brothers and
regard them as being their friends, Thus they are assuredly meek,
and though they have no need to tremble at God’s Word Is.66/2 they
have great pleasure in learning about the subject of “Redemption” at
the feet of those who are “lower” Psm.8 4/5 then their own species.
But they also know that the redeemed are predestined to ascend
higher than themselves when redemption is complete through the
“Second Advent” Rom.8/23. They love their schooling. They are
delighted to share with us the love of Christ. They rejoice when the
sheep is restored; the Coin found; and the Prodigal has come back
home to his Father Luke 15. They carry beggars to heavenly glory,
and though they cannot precisely know the difference that exists
between the saint and the sinner, the wheat and the tares, or the
good fish from the bad, still, the day will come when that ability will
be exercised with infallibility when Christ comes in clouds of glory!
They know that only human beings are the ones chosen to belong to
the Bride of Christ, yet they never secretly murmur, conspire, or
resent men or women nor even whisper within their own ranks of
unfair practices. They are loving beings though they ultimately will
become our servants.
ANGELIC FALL.
A) SATAN.
Transgression against the law and will of God did not commence in
Eden. Believing the literal events in Genesis three to be historical
18
facts, we are not ashamed to assent to all the details therein. A
careful study of this portion of divine writ with an unprejudiced
reader will convince those who read with anticipation of hallowed
truth, that here we have the last word relating to the origins of the
human race, and the key to human delinquency and death. Without
the least reservation we state emphatically that the modern “Theory
of Evolution” has never proved itself and remains a great lie that
continues to fool all those who fervently desire to circumvent the
Word of the living God. The fact of evil is something evolution can
give no adequate explanation for. Indeed, these men who have never
seen evolution developing in the slightest degree, dismiss with
contempt the human conscience without which society would end in
carnage, holocausts, devastation, and extermination of every living
creature. To be sure - it could never even begin!
The origin of evil has always fascinated the imagination of both
philosophers and theologians. It is a labyrinth of complexity and
speculation as long as we move away from the only volume that has
authority among us. But once we begin to move away from both the
Old and New Testament we are at the mercy of heathen wisdom
which is often based upon mythological ancestry and legendary
material. To understand Biblical language and directives one must be
ready for passages that seem to merge imperceptibly, though
sometimes abruptly - from worldly areas to spiritual situations.
Otherwise it will leave the reader baffled and frustrated. Sometimes it
is in the reverse. Suddenly from a poetic context we are transferred
to a contemporary setting but this is mainly in what we call the
“Prophetic portions” that are situated in the last section of the OLD
TESTAMENT.
Evil began within the will of the creature. It could never originate
anywhere else. God is good. He could never have created one single
creature unless it was good. What is “Evil”? The absence of good!
Evil is no substance, therefore matter once created can only be good.
However evil is not something positive as goodness but negative, for
the activity of evil is always to corrode every thing good. To say that
evil is negative may seem complicated to comprehend, but if we
concentrate upon this basic truth, that all things that exist must be
19
good and God cannot make anything evil, we will then be ready to
absorb what will follow.
All creation is positively good. But if evil is discovered within a single
creature it means there is a deprivation of goodness. It disposes of
goodness. Evil is a void. It is no germ; no disease; no microbe; no
molecule; but it works like rust, or fungus, or as cancer by a negative
principle. Now a principle is abstract and without existence. Evil too is
without substance. Evil is merely an unseen movement that negates
goodness. It cannot change into a good movement because evil has
no substance - evil is only to be understood as the absence of good.
Goodness, on the other hand is an object and can be viewed and
handled in every creature. God is Good and all He creates is good.
But evil He did not create, for it is alien to Him. God’s creation is
positive, and His nature is at enmity with evil with a hatred that goes
far beyond all limits of the human mind but evil is a diametrically
opposite principle which can only arise in the will, yet affects every
part of human and creaturely constitutions. But you cannot hold or
see or hear evil. Evil is a robber intent upon depriving all living
creatures of goodness, that is to say their nature which they have
from God!
No living thing was evil when originally created. Even now nothing in
the universe is evil, though whirlwinds, earthquakes, and, famines,
often speak profoundly of divine wrath. All creatures in the universe,
both humans and angels, are good, but their evil is contracted
through the wills of both. As creatures they are still good as
belonging to God, but they are evil by their own volition. Animals
partake of the curse laid upon the human race, because we were
once responsible for the whole of nature in Adam. But we are obliged
to make a distinction at this point. Evil came into being through the
Adam and we share in that horrendous responsibility. Whatever may
be the evils of our universe we - as fallen creatures - must consider
ourselves to be responsible Our human guilt and shame affected
universal chaos: calamity: depravity: pain: sorrow: insecurity: and
fear! But we repeat once more that evil resides in human nature
invisibly. If ever evil became substantial it could no more be called
“evil”. But if it was substantial then God must have made it, for there
20
is nothing in the whole wide universe that He has not created. We
now face an absurdity because God cannot possibly create an evil
thing , and it is outside of His own personal nature to perform an
abominable thing, especially this most abominable thing of all. To
charge the Almighty with this event is the height of blasphemy. A
moments thought will verify this. Even so, evil cannot be created in
any circumstances. It has no existence for evil eradicates good !
When we call external objects “Evil” we can only mean that they are
instruments used for the perpetration of evil. But objects cannot be
evil. We often speak of the object as being evil, such as pistols,
daggers, ropes, or poison. Even so, they are not evil, they are merely
“tools” of evil actions contained not in evil hands, or even wicked
tongues, but in the hearts, minds, and wills, of rational creatures.
Evil has no substance but remains invisible because it is nothing and
can only be found in creatures by some subtracting operation. We
talk of an evil house; an evil heart; an evil book; an evil film; and so
on, but strictly speaking evil is only present within those who created
these evil things ! A piece of wood is useful - to batter out the brains
of a poor defenceless woman ! Human sexual organs are good for
procreation, but when they are used to abuse children and rape
those who are too weak to resist the monster who controls them, the
evil is contained within the will of a man that was once good when
first created in the womb. “Original” sin cannot obliterate nature.
Nature becomes evil by the human will for that is the one battle
ground of evil. Nature is always good unless evil invades the will and
becomes a relentless detracting power of corrosion
Where did evil first begin it’s diabolical course? Who was the one
responsible for the origin of evil ? According to our scriptures it was
Satan, called in the Bible the “Adversary”. But this was not the first
revolt. It was afterwards transported to a “Park” somewhere in the
eastern hemisphere . Evil had existence first of all in heaven itself ! It
cannot be known when this iniquity broke out, and we cannot know
incontestably why these circumstances were allowed to develop in
the way that they did, until the conspiracy reached a point of no
return and there was no remedy. Only all-out war was the answer,
and to this day this spiritual warfare that our world is ignorant of
21
continues with a venom against Christ the Son until He appears with
great and glorious power. The Enemy of Deity, of Christ, and of all
human kind, thought that His final triumph was now at last
altogether achieved, but the resurrection was a Check- Mate he had
not expected . His time is very short. Evil originated in heaven and
from heaven it will be utterly demolished by the voice of Him who is
the desire of all nations.
Satan was not always called “Adversary”. He had another name that
will be mentioned in a little while. There was great speculation on the
part of the Schoolmen - Theologians of the Middle Ages - as to the
reason why there was a revolt in heaven among the Hosts of God. Of
that revolt they had no doubt, but they differed as to the reason it
was made. There were those who suggested that Satan was
positively mortified when he heard a rumour relating to God’s
purpose in making another creature in addition to Angelic Hosts.
They would be lower than themselves in dignity and power, and yet
destined to be greater on account of the fact that they would be
made “in the image of God” and that creature was man. Moreover, he
heard that after a prolonged time of probation and discipline they
would be elevated above angelical Hosts., and made Master’s of all
their hierarchies. In other words, angels would finally be subservient
to Men by becoming their servants. Another conjecture had to do
with the Son of God. Satan rumoured abroad stories that God
intended to honour His Son by creating creatures in His “Image” who
He would rule as their Sovereign Head. Moreover, so the narrative
goes, in order for the Son of God to come closer to His newly created
creatures, made in His image, it was proposed by His unconditioned
predestinating will, that His eternal “Son” and “Word” would become
a “Man”, sharing this “Image”, and amalgamating His own “Image”
with theirs.
Satan began the conspiracy. It would appear by a number of cogent
hints in Holy Scripture that whether by rank or by ability, Satan
gathered around him a mighty army of angelic powers. To us it may
appear to be absurd that he should have imagined he could subvert
divine providence with fellow-creatures that had recently become
aware of sudden existence in the twinkling of an eye ! How does it
22
seem possible that having passed through the process of amazement
and the joy of creation they should allow themselves to be fooled into
believing they had certain claims upon the Almighty ? How can we
comprehend that finite creatures should consider themselves to be
capable of indicting the great God of Wisdom: Righteousness: Truth:
and Power: to arrange capable prosecutors, and a presiding Judge,
and finally to deliver a just verdict in their favour? It seems all too
laughable to consider the matter seriously! Having intellects far
superior to mere humans, and executing powers far in advance of
anything invented, discovered, or made by assiduous study and
genius, the undertaking was totally absurd. Their great object was
the overthrow of the divine regime and all that seemed to be a threat
to their station, prestige, liberty and opulence.
But our main consideration is with the Leader of their mighty and
formidable angelic fighting machine - Satan or Adversary. What was
this “Fall” before it was reproduced once again upon this our
terrestrial abode ? A general revolt against authority is usually a swift
uprising of suspicion, offence, anger, and insecurity. However, they
are all bound together by that one sin that has always been regarded
by most theologians and philosophers as being that which is the most
dangerous to society generally, and destructive to the individual pride! Pride is never alone for it is always seeking to justify itself. But
like most sins it harbours within itself all the ingredients for selfpunishment. Pride has no rest for the proud individual is ever seeking
to maintain superiority over others. The King is jealous of all who
would stare too long at his crown. The Prime Minister is forever
viewing with tormenting suspicion the one whose speeches steal his
own thunder. However innocent the conversation might be, the wife
is slightly uncomfortable when her husband talks too long and laughs
so easily with an attractive women. No man or woman feels safe with
a rival either in the home or business. Constant anxiety is just one
form of punishment which results from pride, and her children are
very prolific, such as Envy, Jealousy, Suspicion, Malice, Depression,
often leading to Perjury, Theft, Fury, and Homicide, etc. When all
these sins have been reflected upon and perhaps confessed, the root
of it all is virtually forgotten. Certainly pride is the chief sin before the
eyes of the Great Judge of all the earth, as we may see when we
23
consult Scripture.
Pride, we may be sure, was the first sin disclosed to the view of the
Almighty. With certain reservations belonging to all details, the
celestial “Fall” of angelic beings are verified by the reputed writings
of inspired scribes. Satan was the first angelic being to break through
the restraining boundaries that were “Off Limits” to all living
creatures. We have spoken of rumours proceeding into Satanic ears,
who had probably risen to high pinnacles of authority within Angelic
circles. This could well have been true. On the other hand, it may
well have been a divine announcement to all the armies of heaven
from the Great High Throne of deity. It may have been the case that
Satan retired greatly offended. Maybe others gathered around to
commiserate him on being slighted, when he ought to have been
consulted on the matter of another creature being formed, having
distinct signs of God’s own Image. However, they are sexless and
bereft of family affinities! In any event it would appear to John Milton
that a conspiracy was formed quickly, and those who were
sympathetic to Satan now having lost all trust in the goodness and
righteousness of God, offered their support with weapons suited to
their species. Each stood ready to engage their Creator in mortal
combat !
We must ask the question at this point. Where did this great sin of
pride originate from? This violation of every “Law” within the heart of
God, came from the will of Satan - the greatest of those angelic
beings - majestic in demeanour. Beautiful in nature, impressive in
knowledge, and glorious in power and sovereignty. We have no
record of when this catastrophic event took place. We are sure it was
before the creation of man, but together with details of the “Fall”, we
are evidently intended to remain in partial ignorance! How then did
such a thing take place? Evil originated with Satan himself ! How was
that possible when he was originally good? Satan was indeed good,
for God could never have created anything amiss. Was he seduced by
some other noble angel? No! For then he would not be the one
responsible for originating sin. We look nowhere else for sin outside
of Satan himself! Moreover, he was not seduced, and this aggravates
his great crime, for had there been temptation before the
24
determination of His will, then his heinous sin would be mitigated
greatly. However, now he is known as being the Great Tempter
though He Himself was not tempted as he tempted our father Adam.
Well then, did evil come into Him from without? That simply cannot
be, for we have already explained, evil cannot be seen, heard,
handled, weighed, measured, captured, or stored. Evil has no
substance because evil is nothing !By some altogether inexplicable
event, the moment when Satan reacted with a brazen fortitude, by
resenting either the Creation of man or the “Incarnation” of God, that
in a cataclysmic second his will revolted against the degree, and
“Pride” entered his whole being. Sin had commenced in him within
him evil - that is unseen because lacking in substance - began to
vitiate or corrupt his nature. His nature was perfect but through his
voluntary yielding to pride, he marred the nature God gave to him.
His volitional faculty freely chose to disengage itself from the Creator
and he began to serve the creature - that is himself! How this evil
motion of the will began and how it gradually takes away the good in
nature, no one really knows. Gradually, goodness is devoured by this
evil motion, though nature is ruined before the eyes of the Lord God
from the moment this movement begins. We have great difficulty
believing that all the faculties within the new born babe are impaired
from the moment of conception, but we must never allow the
seeming innocence of babyhood to deceive us. Morally and spiritually
we are fallen, not because Satan fell but because our forefather
Adam fell in the Garden of Delights so long ago. Fabulous! Mythical!
Childish nonsense ! Our Bible never deludes anyone, unless they are
determined to delude themselves.
Satan now receives a new name - “Adversary”. He is determined by
all those attributes that God gave him - but which God will never
remove from him - to sabotage, blemish, abuse, and destroy
everything that God has created. War was declared in heaven. From
a “Fall” in his moral and spiritual condition he was next to fall in his
local situation. He fell from grace - now he would fall to eternal
judgment. Pride, and that akin to it, the sin of envy, is to be rebuked
by the severity of eternal death. Now the armies of heaven are
assembled together to do battle on a scale we ignorant mortals
cannot imagine. Consult the following :- Isaiah 14: Ezekiel28:
25
Revelation 12: 2 Pet.2. But keep well in mind that prophesies of Holy
Scripture are clothed in poetic language. They are not intended to
satisfy the curious or cursory reader, and it must ever be bourn in
mind that the scriptures will yield not a grain of information to those
who are bereft of faith! Scripture shuts and bolts the door upon idle
curiosity. To those who gather purposely to attack it’s contents, it is
like the hedgehog, or the porcupine, and wraps itself into a ball that
bristles with spikes!
B) DEMONS.
There seems to be no warrant for separating demons from devils in
the sacred writings. Moreover we have no reason to suspect that
both are one and the same with those angels that fell with their
sovereign lord -2 Pet. 2/4. Our Lord couples them both together in
Matt.25/41. “Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared
for the devil and his angels”. Inasmuch as we have made it quite
clear that God cannot create anything evil and to assume that he
does is nothing short of blasphemy, so we now take it for granted
that devils or demons must have been made perfect until they were
subverted by Satan. Formally they were known as “Angels”, now they
are known as “Demons” or minor gods. Satan also has now suffered
a change of name. From “Lucifer” that signifies the “Day Star” Isaiah
14/12. he is called the “Devil” meaning “slanderer.”
They must not be feared. Paganism is rife to this day with great
tribes still worshipping false gods and consequentially endeavouring
to pacify the wrath of gods and demons by ghastly superstitions. But
we have no need to go to the African or American continent to
witness the revival of “demonism”, for we are now tormented with
those who believe that “demon possession” is a common experience,
and specially gifted Christians are needed to exorcise those who
appear to display signs of a diabolical nature. Inevitably, there are
those who eat, drink, and sleep, demonism, and who detect any
phenomenal incident as being the work of “Evil” powers. We now
have mentally deranged people being diagnosed by those
ignoramuses who are obsessed by these alarming symptoms but
have no knowledge at all of mental illness! One may imagine the
incalculable damage - not to say the havoc wrought by those who
26
consider themselves to be expert in the art of “Exorcism” - that our
medical profession is witnessing the more this mania is pursued and
propagated! When our Lord and Saviour came in to the world the
demonic powers were at their highest level since the days before the
flood. They were granted divine licence to exercise their great extra
ordinary powers over man. We do not read in Genesis chapter six of
details concerning all the iniquities of Noah’s age, and we cannot
make a judgment with respect to idolatry, sodomy, or demonology.
Even so we do not read of such horrendous cases as we do in the
New Testament. True it is possible for such times to reappear, but
there is one thing that surely prevents such dreadful occurrences in
public society- the Cross and Resurrection !While society had
descended to such depths never before known to Jewish society,
while religion was a cloak for Pharisees and Sadducees and while the
gods of heathen temples became more benign, affable, alluring, and
inviting, some sincerely believed that no age produced so many
tokens of strange forebodings! Demoniacs - human beings actually
inhabited by demons - increased beyond all proportions as though
Hell was agitated, and preparing itself for some Champion who would
challenge powers arrayed against Him when he finally arrived to
deliver His Chosen People.
Today we live upon the opposite side of Calvary. The resurrection
placed certain limits upon celestial forces antagonistic to the kingdom
he had begun to build. In Revelation chapter twenty there is an angel
that we believe signifies Christ -the Michael of the book of Daniel and
Revelation. No one but the Lord of the Angels has authority to bind
Satan with a great chain, but this is what Christ did when He died
upon the cross as a ransom for sin, plus His resurrection that
reconciled the world unto God. Satan was no absolute prisoner, but
he had placed upon Him great restrictions ! Since the Day of
Pentecost the church has increased mightily from among all nations
by reason of the fact of Satanic stipulations. But if you continue
reading Revelation chapter twenty you will discover a most
staggering reversal. Satan is set loose from the prison that He
occupied, and his activity begins once again. Of course though Satan
is to be loosed, it does not follow that Christ will allocate to him
absolute liberty. This time period is called “Satan’s Little Season” but
27
how long this season will continue for is in the power of no individual
to know. During this time the faith of His saved people will be tested
as never before, but when this period ends, Satan will be broken as
an intruder, invader, accuser, tempter, and executioner. Christ will
come with infinite power, together with the full panoply of heavenly
might, and Satan will be bound once more and consigned to eternal
damnation. All this chronology is sumed up by our Saviour in Luke
1O/18. “I BEHELD SATAN AS THE LIGHTENING FALL FROM HEAVEN”!
All this has been written to offer a serious warning, and to give some
idea on the activity of the Devil with respect to demonology ! Some
one may ask the question, But if Satan is loosed from jail after his
“season” behind bars, does it not follow that by His so great ferocity
towards God and men he will then begin to inhabit human beings
again through his demons ?He would if he could ! It is in this area
that in spite of newly found liberty we consider our Lord will place a
limitation upon him. Counterfeits certainly are possible. We are aware
that novels and films gravitate towards themes of this nature by
reason of the sensational impact which a grotesque scene creates
upon sensitive minds. Let us all remember that Satan is very active in
the realm of “Spiritualism” today, and it would be a good thing if we
all shunned this fabricated movement which boasts of being the
oldest religion in the world ! Here surely is a realm in which Satan
roams freely. Everything is counterfeited and must be shunned as
you would shun the plague!
C) ELECTION.
God is a God of “Election”. We may not like the idea, for at once we
are confronted in our imaginations by a Dictatorial being who is
arbitrary, a great Tyrant, Authoritarian, and deficient of all human
feelings. All this is simply not true, and though these are perhaps the
vain thoughts that flit across our minds like shadows in the night, to
retain them either with resentment or fear, is a sure proof that God is
a stranger to you. Nevertheless God is yet a God of choice - and the
prerogative is His, else He could never be God in the real sense of
the word.
In the realms of angelic being there are those who are “Elect” as
28
distinct from those who are not so 1Tim.5/21. Assuming you are a
little acquainted with those few scriptures that are absolutely
necessary for to understand what we call the “Fall of Angels”, we
have discovered the whole series of celestial creatures divided into
two communities and entertaining within themselves a certain
antagonism for each other. How great, or how deep, this animosity
might be, is mere guesswork, especially when we realise that such
malignity that may exist between them surely cannot be allowed to
continue for all eternity! And yet we reckon at this present time there
are two heavenly societies that are apposed, those who gave no
heed to Satan’s plausibilities, and those who gravitated` into this
great conspiracy, were overthrown by the armies of Michael, and
then “Thrust down to Hell” 2 Pet. 2/4.
First we must reckon upon a similarity between both the human and
the angelic existence, namely their co-existence, together with a
volitional faculty ! It would seem to human reason that the will
belonging to each of the good angels resisted the call to join in this
angelic conspiracy, while the evil angels allowed their volitional
faculties to be overcome and so they “Fell” from God, righteousness,
truth, and status. But it was not simply the making of a simple choice
though it had been made contrary to the will of Almighty God ! The
evil choice means a deprivation of the good nature of these
conspirators, as we have already said at large some time earlier. It
means they are changed for ever! A good will has yielded to evil, and
an invasion has taken place at this most vulnerable point of a
creatures constitution, that can never be reversed ! We assume that
the volitional point within angels has the same priority of importance
as it does with humans. Now if this be true, whenever a decision is
made in the context of morals or spiritual truth it is either for the
depreciation or the salvation of the creature. Such a revolt of angelic
legions - as we have already discussed - must have caused such
permanent spiritual damage, that they could never revert to their
original purity and sanctity! Inevitably, a single sin is the outcome of
an evil condition. An evil state is a condition that produces sinful acts.
To think in an evil manner is the gateway to sinful actions. One single
sin derived through a God-given nature that is perfect goodness, is
29
like one dye cast into a bundle of pure white linen. Better still, as
prophets and apostles intended through divine inspiration, the great
plague of Leprosy begins as a little white spot on the body then
slowly spreads until every limb is covered. So the first sin within the
purest of souls gradually effects every faculty, mind, heart, and will!
And so it must have been with these rebellious angels. One sin
becomes a condition of body and soul. A corrupt evil heart, that in
spite of outward goodness and good works is a state of body and
soul that can only produce evil works!! Nature having now become
evil becomes sinful absolutely even though externally all works
appear to be of the very holiest and impressive!! But God sees the
root of the tree and His Word is the last Word Psm.142/3: Is. 64/6:
Jer.17/9: Mk.1O/18: Rom.3/19:Eph.2/8.
It may be asked, “Can these angels not repent”? “Can they not turn
and be renewed again as they were before”? Only so long as God
calls them to Himself. But nowhere do we find in the Holy Books an
invitation to return ! The greatest of theologians are inclined to see in
this silence a very solemn rejection on the part of God of all who
belonged to the conspiracy of Satan. They now seem to be
reprobates and the door of salvation is now firmly closed upon them
all. Certainly they could be transformed by the grace of God but the
silence of scripture appears very ominous indeed !We know the good
unfallen angels have never been sent to evangelise these one-time
compatriots. Sadly, we must consider the prospects of a return and
reconciliation to God as not being on the agenda, and especially as
we are bound to consider a topic that would appear on the face of it
to place a seal upon their fate - Election!
Why did a good proportion of angelic beings “Fall”? Conversely, why
did the majority of angels remain unfallen? To be sure, on the face of
it the answer is simple, namely, the one portion used there sense of
responsibility badly, while the greater portion used it well ! But,
keeping well in mind what has been said hitherto, the fallen angels
have lost the capacity of choice! Sin, once it is committed, permeates
the whole and creates a complete state of evil. Whether we speak of
their understanding, they are now without a true knowledge of God.
Whether we speak of their affections they are now at enmity with
30
God, their hearts hardened with spite and prejudice. Whether we
speak of their volition they are robbed of the proper use of their
“wills” and remain in spiritual bondage. Sin follows the same wicked
course with them as with our Father Adam and the human race, both
in the general aspect among all the nations, and the particular aspect
among each individual. So far as the fallen angels are concerned,
they have entered willingly into their own jails and bolted the door on
the inside. They are now incapable of moving towards God. Choices
are made by them in so far as it has to do with the limits of their
existence imposed upon them by their Creator, but to turn unto God
with repentance, together with believing that God will accept them,
and save them, this from their standpoint of bankruptcy comprehending God’s mercy, desiring His love, and choosing His
freedom , is something beyond their now weakened capacity.
They are not elected ! With all the wise and foolish discussions of this
subject, the verbal brawls, the literary battles, and the bitterness
misunderstandings, schisms, invectives, and the lack of all sobriety,
tenderness, compassion, sympathy, and love, the fact of the matter is
this, the Bible teaches plainly and bluntly on the subject. Unfallen
angels are “Elected” !Fallen angels are rejected. As it is with
mankind: Rom. 11 5/7, and so it is withal the angels: 1Tim.5/21:
Who made the difference ? God Himself by His grace. Was it based
upon merit ? Not in the slightest, for had this been the case the
foundation of the Elect would have been based solely on works and
not of grace alone 1Thess. 1/4:1Cor. 15/1O.
Now the grace of God is entirely free and outside of Him no angel or
human being has any rights to, or any claim upon, this grace. God,
according to His wisdom and righteousness, exercises His own will
with respect to those who receive His favour. God must never be
guilty of partiality and for this reason any grace bestowed on His
creatures cannot be based upon works. Works signify merits of the
creature, and thus God rules them out entirely when it comes to the
recipients of grace. Even the very word “Grace” is indicative of
impartiality on the part of the One who grants it. Therefore, God is
free and His grace is His prerogative to give or not to give according
to His own pleasure. This will explain not only matters belonging to
31
fallen Angels but also fallen human beings. God is a God of grace,
but with this proviso - He has sovereign control in the matter of
choice. With Him it is absolutely free, but neither angels or humans
are free to participate in it by any righteousness of their own,
including religion, honesty, sincerity, or prayer!
Angelic beings fallen from grace were - and are to this day - in a
spiritual bondage due to the operation of their own volitional power
which was used wickedly on the day of their conspiracy. All their wills
were - and are to this day - inoperable. This too we are bound to say
is a condition for which they alone are indeed absolutely responsible!
One angelic revolt has placed individual angels in a helpless and
hopeless state of bondage. As with each and every human, they have
no strength to change their minds and hearts, by reason of the fact
that their Wills have no liberty to move. Fallen Angels remain fallen
because their Wills have ceased to function as they once did when
they loved God and served Him. But why did God allow them to fall
so fatally and finally? They serve as a sign of His equity towards all
those who fell not in that most horrendous rebellion. Why then does
God continue to be an individual Jailor to prevent their conversion
and so renew all their former loving duties ? He withholds His grace
in His wisdom! Does God no longer love them and hence will show no
mercy to them? God hates nothing that He has made, and must
continue to love His own handiwork. But we must let God be God,
and let grace be grace, otherwise we create insuperable problems we
cannot resolve!
These “Chains of darkness” of which Peter speaks 2 Pet.2/4. can only
mean that they are each intended to be objects of justice and not
mercy! They are destined to be the recipients of wrath but not grace!
Why does the Almighty see His own handiwork suffer even though it
is by their own hands ? Because they must endure on account of
their own infinite sin of celestial insurrection. But while God continues
to withhold grace from them, they will remain captives. They cannot
liberate themselves unless grace interposes, for grace is the sole
privilege of the God of all grace and mercy ! Grace is the favour of
Almighty God towards those who have sinned against Him, and it is
His good pleasure to pardon the most heinous of offensives as the
32
Holy Scriptures makes so abundantly clear. Thus with men there is an
election of grace which He has reserved for Himself in contrast to a
much larger portion of mankind that are passed over according to His
justice. To persist in imperiously demanding to know why God should
refuse those He passes by in His justice, so that they harden
accordingly, and become even more so “Vessels of Wrath” Rom.9/22
is to be confronted with a brick wall, impenetrable and gigantic. We
simply cannot comprehend His most intimate designs, but to react
vehemently against what seems to be arbitrary, capricious, despotic,
and inhuman intentions, is to incur spiritual wounds that are selfinflicted. To harden the heart deliberately against the One who alone
is righteous in all His ways is the height of folly. This is to do precisely
what the fallen Angels have done, namely, reacted violently to
Predestined purposes of the highest wisdom and righteousness. After
all, the whole history of human and angelic beings has not yet been
told, and it does not yet appear as it shall be! Submission mean while
is the answer to those inexplicable and inscrutable purposes that are
incongruous to human reason. Those who are willing to submit to
those providential mysteries are those who are most likely to discover
the mercy of God they so badly need. Yield unto Him our hearts
,minds, and wills, for this He requires from all those who are
disquieted with doubt, perplexity, and despair. God grant grace, to
those who long for the full redemption of our spiritual Israel and
Heavenly Jerusalem. Amen.
33