Angels and providence

1. When I first became acquainted with the church I saw some immediate contrasts with denominationalism.

2. The people I knew from typical religious groups were always ready to offer a “testimony.”

3. These testimonials usually involved a special feeling that was attributed to God or some event.

4. Members of the church on the other hand emphasized something different.

5. Those from the church were also willing to tell how they became a Christian.

6. Rather than emphasize a “personal testimony,” members of the church put an emphasis on Scripture.

7. As I pondered this very noticeable difference I began to notice something else.

8. When people testified about their experience with God, the stories varied.

9. One person allegedly received this from God and another received something else.

10. Sometimes the testimonies were even contradictory.

11. With the testimonies it sounded like God is a God of confusion.

12. The Bible says God is not a God of confusion (1 Cor. 14:33).

13. In the end, I chose to pursue a path based on the Word of God instead of the testimonies of men.

AS WE THINK ABOUT THE RELIGIOUS CLAIMS AND TESTIMONIALS FREQUENTLY OFFERED BY PEOPLE, WE FIND THAT THERE ARE MANY CLAIMS ABOUT ANGELS. PEOPLE OFFER TESTIMONIES ABOUT ANGELS. THERE ARE EVEN BOOKS THAT ARE BRIMMING FULL OF STORIES.

a) Here is one example: a woman was hit by a car and a relative witnessed the accident.

b) The accident victim was flung high into the sky and the relative saw an angel with wings appear.

c) This angel had a cloth and this cloth was used to wrap the woman’s body.

d) The angel then flew the body to a school, laid it down softly, and flew back up into the sky.

e) This is a very strange story for several reasons, and it makes God a respector of persons.

f) Why give supernatural help to this car accident victim but not others?

g) Hucksters have even tried to capitalize on claims about angels.

h) One source says they can use your birthday and they will identify your guardian angel.

i) Out of curiosity I plugged my information in and they said I am protected by Gabriel.

2) Personal stories about angelic protection sell. Testimonies excite people..

3) When the tales are examined, they are often contradictory and sometimes just downright silly.

4) In our world a lot of people want to believe that angels are actively working in the lives of people.

5) Angels do work in the lives of people, but not quite in the way many are led to believe.

6) When we look at angelic work in the lives of man, we need to see two extremes positions.

a) One position has angels engaged in miraculous activities at the present time.

b) The other extreme basically says angels have nothing at all to do with man and his world.

c) This second view has sometimes been based on the completed Scriptures.

d) Since the Bible has been completed, the time for the supernatural has been removed.

e) This is true, but this does not mean angels are no longer working.

f) A completed Bible has not removed the need for other things.

g) Do we still pray? Yes. Why pray if we have a completed Bible?

h) Is there still a need to trust in God and a need for Him to act in the world? Yes.

i) God’s fully revealed word does not eliminate the need for God and His servants to work in the world.

j) On the other hand, angels are not supernaturally acting in the way people claim.

7) Perhaps the most comprehensive verse in this regard is Heb. 1:14, a passage already read.

8) In the KJV the text says, the “heirs of salvation”? The ASV is a little plainer.

9) It says, “them that shall inherit salvation” (Christians).

10) God says angels work on behalf of those who are His people.

a) If we study the claims people make, the highest percentage of testimonies come from non-Christians.

b) It may be a drug addict, a person who has never been taught the Bible, or someone else.

c) The world says it sees angels and receives miracles. God says angels work for those who are saved.

d) Both positions cannot be true. If we believe God, then angels work on behalf of those who are saved.

11) How are angels going to saved people in our day and time?

a) We cannot understand their work unless we know something about providence.

b) A good beginning point is to perhaps show what providence is not.

c) Providence is not miraculous activity. Neither is providence direction action by God.

d) Miracles on the other hand are “direct action.” Miracles are direct and providence is “indirect.”

12) We may illustrate the difference with weather.

13) While Jesus was on the earth He was able to stop terrible storms on the sea.

14) Instantly stopping something like a hurricane is a miracle; it is contrary to the laws of nature.

15) Providence on the other hand operates within the laws of nature.

a) How many times have we heard a weather forecaster say, “we will have rain today/tonight.”

b) The weather caster was not trying to deceiver viewers. Everything was lined up for rain.

c) Then, as the day progressed, weather conditions changed and the forecasted rain did not come.

d) Natural law was in operation and things changed.

e) This is not a miracle, but it is a definite activity.

f) We find a Bible example of rain and providence in Jas. 5:17-18.

g) It did not rain for 3 ½ years; the prophet Elijah prayed and then it rained.

h) Rain came by a natural process.

i) God was able to work within His creation to accomplish His will.

16) Providence has been compared to a movie director.

a) If we watch a movie, we see all the right people doing all the right things at all the right times.

b) Everyone carries out his or her assigned role.

c) We never see the director of the movie. He is there but is silently controlling the whole process.

d) God and His angels are involved in this same type of thing.

e) Heaven is involved in getting the right things done at just the right time and in just the right way.

f) All this is accomplished while allowing man to have free-will.

g) God and His servants are acting, but there are not miraculous (they are not working outside natural law).

17) Someone might say, “That sounds incredible. It sounds impossible. How could that possibly be done?”

18) How can God work within natural law and get all the things done that need to be done?

19) If man were trying to make this happen, he would fail before the first week was up.

20) Jesus once said, “with God all things are possible” (Mt. 19:26).

21) God has no difficulty whatsoever working providentially within the bounds of His creation.

BASED ON THIS INFORMATION LET’S TURN TO THE BIBLE FOR SOME SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF ANGELS AND THEIR PROVIDENTIAL WORK IN THE LIVES OF MEN.

a) Our first example comes from Gen. 24.

b) Abraham decided it was time for his son Isaac to get married.

c) Sarah, Abraham’s wife had died, and Abraham thought a wife would comfort his son (Gen. 24:67).

d) Abraham told his oldest servant to go to his homeland (Mesopotamia).

e) Now this area is known as Iraq. Isaac’s wife was to come from an area now abounding in conflict.

f) Abraham wanted Isaac to get a wife from his family.

g) This servant who was supposed to select a wife for Isaac was told he would receive help – Gen. 24:7 – READ.

2) Was Abraham just trying to trick his servant or did he know what he was talking about?

3) Let’s skip back to Gen. 20:7a – here we have information about Abraham – READ.

4) Abraham was a prophet. He was not, therefore, just trying to console his servant. An angel did help.

5) We are not told what the angel did; there is no hint whatsoever that any miracle was involved.

6) The process of finding a wife just “fell into place” as people often say.

7) Listen to this account from Gen. 24:42-48 – READ.

8) The servant had made a very long trip.

9) He just happened to come to the right place, at the right time, on the right day, and meet the right woman.

10) The right lady just happened to be there, happened to meet the servant, and they happen to connect.

11) How did all this occur? An angel went before the servant.

a) All this happened through the providence of God, and an angel was involved.

b) Can this type of thing still happen today? Yes, and Heb. 1:14 is the passage that proves it.

12) Let’s consider another example, this one from the life of Paul.

13) In Acts 21 Luke tells us that Paul was arrested. People thought he had taken “Greeks” into the temple.

a) On the following day Paul was taken before Jewish authorities (Acts 22:30-23:1).

b) Jews were not in agreement on how to deal with him – Acts 23:6-9 - READ.

c) God told this apostle that he would make it to Rome – Acts 23:11 – READ.

14) God’s plan was for the apostle to go to Rome.

15) God could have supernaturally transported Paul to this place, but that was not what was done.

16) God used providence, and we are told how this providence occurred.

17) While God had plans for Paul, so did some Jews – Acts 23:12 – READ.

a) Unbelievers were after the very man God wanted to have go to Rome and preach.

b) Would the Jews win or would God protect His servant?

c) Notice what just “happened” to occur – Acts 23:16-22 – READ.

d) Paul’s nephew heard about the plot on the apostle’s life and reported it.

e) Paul was then taken away to Caesarea (Acts 23:23-24).

f) Here he was imprisoned for two years (Acts 24:27).

g) An attempt was made to return him back to Jerusalem (Acts 25:3), but this didn’t happen.

h) Paul was able to make an appeal to Caesar (Acts 25:10-11), and this request was granted (Acts 25:12).

i) In Acts 27 we find Paul on a ship; where was he headed? Rome.

18) On this trip there were some problems.

19) Listen to Acts 27:41 – READ - while Paul was traveling to Rome there was a shipwreck.

20) We read about something else in verse 42 – READ.

21) Then we have the information in Acts 28:3-5 – READ.

22) Paul finally managed to reach Rome (Acts 28:14).

a) Were angels involved in any or all of the things that got Paul to Rome?

b) Perhaps; we may certainly say that Paul needed help several times.

c) We also see that heaven gave him this help, and the aid may well have involved angels.

d) We are told that angels work as “ministering spirits for those who will inherit salvation.”

23) What a thrill it would have been for angels to providentially work in the lives of the apostles.

24) That providential work is still being done today.

25) It is only done for those who will “inherit salvation.” Does this describe us?