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AngelsAngelsGod’s Secret AgentsGod’s Secret Agents

Matthew 24:29-33

95 (1)

257

310

The Angel of the NorthThe Angel of the North

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Do you believe in Angels?Do you believe in Angels?

81 percent of United States citizens believe in angels in some form.

The definition of an angel could be a kind stranger, a benefactor, a misty aberration, or someone with white wings.

Los AngelesLos Angeles

–– City of AngelsCity of Angels

Popular ideas about AngelsPopular ideas about AngelsWings

Can be Female

Supernatural

Dressed in white

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Popular ideas about AngelsPopular ideas about Angels

�Often associated with love and feelings (similar to the idea of cherubs)

�Guardian Angels

�Angels can be wicked

�Many major religionsfeature Angels

Songs about AngelsSongs about Angels

Abba – I have a dream

“I believe in angels

Something good in everything I see

I believe in angels

When I know the time is right for me

I'll cross the stream - I have a dream”

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Songs about AngelsSongs about Angels

Frank Sinatra Frank Sinatra –– A Sinner Kissed an AngelA Sinner Kissed an Angel

“The night a sinner kissed an angel,

And she believed that it was love.

How was she to know that every

lovely vow

Was part of the game he was

playing”

Songs about AngelsSongs about Angels

Robbie Williams Robbie Williams Robbie Williams Robbie Williams ----AngelsAngelsAngelsAngels

“I sit and wait

does an angel contemplate my fate

and do they know

the places where we go

when we´re grey and old”

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Movie Films about AngelsMovie Films about Angels

“Date with an Angel”

– 1987

“Michael” – 1996

“City of Angels” –

1999

Facts about AngelsFacts about Angels

From the BibleFrom the Bible

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Angels ExistAngels Exist

Mentioned many times in the Bible

About 200 times !

Exodus 23:20"Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I

have prepared.”

Angels are God’s MessengersAngels are God’s Messengers

Old Testament:

Hebrew word –malak = messenger

angel 111 messenger 98 ambassadors 4

angel 179 messenger 7

New Testament:

Greek word –angelos = messenger

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ExampleExample

Angels as Messengers

“In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee

named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And

the virgin’s name was Mary.” Luke 1:26-27

Angel’s EmotionsAngel’s Emotions

Angels are God’s messengers or agentsAngels are God’s messengers or agents

�� They give God’s laws and warnings, They give God’s laws and warnings,

bringing good news and bad newsbringing good news and bad news

�� They work as God’s agents bringing They work as God’s agents bringing

good, and bringing about destruction of good, and bringing about destruction of

the ungodlythe ungodly

�� Angels are not associated at all with Angels are not associated at all with

human lovehuman love

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Angels appear like menAngels appear like men

“Then the LORD appeared to him (Abraham) … as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him” Genesis 18:1-5

“The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom.” Genesis 19:1

Angels are always Angels are always malemale

Angels appear like menAngels appear like menThey do not have wingsThey do not have wings

“Do not neglect to show hospitality to Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”entertained angels unawares.”

Hebrews 13:2Hebrews 13:2

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But: But: what about what about CherubimCherubim??“… the likeness of four “… the likeness of four living creatures. …they living creatures. …they had a human likeness, had a human likeness, but each had four but each had four

faces, … four wings. … faces, … four wings. … soles of their feet were soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf’s like the sole of a calf’s foot. And they sparkled foot. And they sparkled like burnished bronze.” like burnished bronze.”

Ezekiel 1:5Ezekiel 1:5--77

Special Angels ?Special Angels ?

Symbolic Creatures ?Symbolic Creatures ?

Angels are SupernaturalAngels are Supernatural

Psalm 104:4

“God … makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire.”

Angels are spiritAngels are spiritAngels are spiritAngels are spiritAngels are spiritAngels are spiritAngels are spiritAngels are spirit

–––––––– not constrained by human naturenot constrained by human naturenot constrained by human naturenot constrained by human naturenot constrained by human naturenot constrained by human naturenot constrained by human naturenot constrained by human nature

–––––––– they share God’s naturethey share God’s naturethey share God’s naturethey share God’s naturethey share God’s naturethey share God’s naturethey share God’s naturethey share God’s nature

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Angels are SupernaturalAngels are Supernatural

And the Angel of the LORD said to him, "Why do you ask My name, seeing it is wonderful?" … the Angel of the LORD went up in the flame of the altar! When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell on their faces to the ground. The angel of the Lord appeared no more to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of the Lord.

Judges 13:17-21

Angels do God’s WorkAngels do God’s Work

“Bless the LORD, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! Bless the LORD, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will!”

Psalm 103:20-21

Angels are different to humansAngels are different to humans

They cannot do wrongThey cannot do wrong

They obey God’s voice and doThey obey God’s voice and doHis willHis will

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Angels are GoodAngels are Good

Angels can only Angels can only be good be good –– they they were created by were created by God to do His willGod to do His will

Angels do not Angels do not have free will to have free will to choose to obey or choose to obey or disobey God, as disobey God, as humanshumans

But:-Sometimes God’s good work can appear to be bad to the recipients

Psalm 78:49 (KJV)

“He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angelsamong them.”

[“destroying angels” NKJV, ESV, NIV]

Angels can Angels can represent Godrepresent God

Exodus 3:1-6

“Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro … the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the LORD angel of the LORD appeared to himappeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. … When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!”

And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Do not come near … And he said, “I am the And he said, “I am the God of your fatherGod of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.”

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There are multitudes of There are multitudes of AngelsAngels

“And Elisha prayed, and said, "LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

2 Kings 6:17

There are multitudes of AngelsThere are multitudes of Angels

At least 100 million angelsAt least 100 million angelsAt least 100 million angelsAt least 100 million angelsAt least 100 million angelsAt least 100 million angelsAt least 100 million angelsAt least 100 million angels

“Then I looked, and I heard the

Revelation 5:11 (AV)

“Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands”

Revelation 5:11 (AV)

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SummarySummary�Angels exist

�They are God’s messengers

�They are supernatural - God’s nature

�They use God’s power and do God’s work

�Angels often take on God’s name

�They cannot sin

�They appear as men

�There are multitudes of angels

God’s Angels God’s Angels

play an play an

important part in important part in

the lives of the lives of

believersbelievers

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Angels work for BelieversAngels work for Believers

Angels – “Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?”

Hebrews 1:14

Angels work unseen in the Angels work unseen in the lives of those who believe lives of those who believe and follow God’s waysand follow God’s ways

ExampleExample

David was encouraged by God’s David was encouraged by God’s AngelsAngels

“I will bless the LORD at all times … I sought the LORD, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears. … This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.” Psalm 34:1-7

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ExampleExampleActs 12:1-10

Peter was delivered from prison“So Peter was kept in prison … when Herod was about to bring him out … Peter was sleeping … behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly!" And the chains fell off his hands”

Matthew 18:10Matthew 18:10

“Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.”

God cares for those God cares for those who believe in Him who believe in Him

He uses His Angels He uses His Angels to do thisto do this

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Romans 8:28Romans 8:28“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to

his purpose.”

Not a promise of Not a promise of Not a promise of Not a promise of Not a promise of Not a promise of Not a promise of Not a promise of personal protectionpersonal protectionpersonal protectionpersonal protectionpersonal protectionpersonal protectionpersonal protectionpersonal protection

Angels in the FutureAngels in the Future

“"And He will send His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

Matthew 24:31

Angels will gather the believers when Angels will gather the believers when Angels will gather the believers when Angels will gather the believers when Angels will gather the believers when Angels will gather the believers when Angels will gather the believers when Angels will gather the believers when Jesus returns to EarthJesus returns to EarthJesus returns to EarthJesus returns to EarthJesus returns to EarthJesus returns to EarthJesus returns to EarthJesus returns to Earth

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You can be better than an AngelYou can be better than an Angel

“But those who are considered worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead … nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, sons of God, being sons of the resurrectionbeing sons of the resurrection.” Luke 20:35

“Jesus … having become as much superiorsuperior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.” Hebrews 1:4

Life for EvermoreLife for Evermore**