The work of angels
1. In 1976 a book authored by Billy Graham was published.
2. The title of this volume was, “Angels, God’s Secret Agents.”
3. Angels have been referred to as “God’s Secret Service.”
4. This is certainly a catchy description, but I have some doubts about how accurate it is.
5. If we read the Bible, we find that angels were often messengers but they were not all that “secret.”
6. Several times in the Bible we are give some insight about the work of angels.
7. In fact, the Bible explores for us 4 basic areas of angelic service.
8. Angels are portrayed as worshipping God on a regular basis.
9. We see from God’s word that angels have been involved in revealing the Word of God.
10. A third work of angels has been to fight against the enemies of God.
11. A fourth area of study is helping the people of God.
TONIGHT WE WANT TO LOOK AT TWO OF THESE FOUR AREAS JUST MENTIONED: ANGELS WORSHIP GOD AND ANGELS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN REVEALING THE WORD OF GOD.
a) As we engage in this study we need to remember something about time.
b) Some of what we will be studying involves the past. Some angelic work is no longer being continued.
c) One thing that angels are still involved in doing is worshipping God.
d) Angles worship God on a regular basis.
2) Our first text tonight comes from Ps. 103.
a) This psalm is attributed to David and it is a remarkable Old Testament passage.
b) Many think David wrote it in his later years when he better understood some things.
c) As people get older they can have a keener sense of sin.
d) They may better understand how precious forgiveness is.
e) As people get older, their gratefulness to God often increases.
3) We see these things in the very first verse of Ps. 103 – READ.
a) Verses 3-4 also seem to indicate David had a lot time to think about things – READ.
b) What we want to concentrate on comes just prior to the next Psalm (verses 19-21).
c) In verse 19 David said God rules over all things.
d) In verse 20 David said something about angels – READ.
e) David realized angels are “mighty” creatures. He also knew their great strength is put to use.
f) Angels “fulfill God’s word” (carry out His orders). They “hearken unto the voice of God.”
g) The best Christians in life do not always hearken to God’s word.
h) Sometimes we fail to carry out God’s orders. Angels are unlike man in this regard.
i) Heavenly angels are waiting for instructions from God and they stand ready to obey.
j) Angels are creatures that obey.
4) Obedience may be offered to someone for a lot of reasons.
5) Obedience may come through bribery. If some people receive money, they will obey orders.
6) Others may obey due to fear and threats.
7) Obedience may also come from love, and this is the basis for angels obeying God.
8) Notice again how verse 20 begins: “bless Jehovah.”
9) David called on the heavenly angels to bless, honor and worship God.
10) Apparently David was wise enough to realize some things about angels and the presence of God.
11) Being in God’s presence is so thrilling it results in creatures wanting to obey and honor God.
12) David could have made this point once and gone on to something else.
13) He spoke about the matter a second time – verse 21 – READ.
14) Angels so filled with an awe of God that a natural response is obedience and praise.
a) An illustration of this is found in Isa. 6.
b) Not long ago we spoke about Seraphim, a specific class of angel.
c) We showed how cherubim are associated with judgment and punishment.
d) Seraphim are portrayed as helping men, not punishing them.
e) In Isa. 6:3 we find Seraphim saying, “holy, holy, holy is Jehovah hosts.”
f) Here we find God being praised by this specific class of angel.
g) There is angelic praise in Isa. 6 and the worship is related to a specific item.
h) The seraphim spoke of the “whole earth” having the glory of God.
i) These creatures understood some things about God and concluded, “God is worthy of praise.”
15) This picture in Isa. 6 should not surprise us.
16) As human beings we recognize that certain things are worthy of certain responses.
a) If a man gives a good speech, people may clap to congratulation him.
b) We have something called a “standing ovation.”
c) In other cases awards are given to recognize good work and special achievements.
d) Usually applause or a reward is limited to just one occasion.
17) There are a few times when the value of something is recognized every time it is seen.
18) God’s work is in this second category.
19) His works are so amazing that they can never be over appreciated.
20) There will never come a time when God’s accomplishments are no longer worthy of appreciation.
21) Hence, angels worship God on an on-going basis.
22) Ezra once said (Neh. 9:6) that “the host of heaven” (angels) worship God.
23) This expression tells us the angels who worship are not limited to Seraphim.
24) The worship angels give to God is enthusiastic and full of zeal (we see this in Isa. 6).
a) This fact should have special meaning for us.
b) Why do angels worship God with fervor and passion? This is a natural reaction to who God is.
c) Not long ago I was talking to someone about worship in colonial times.
25) Children during this time are said to have only been allowed one toy on Sundays: Noah’s Ark.
26) Many years ago it was against the law to miss Sunday services.
27) If those at services went to sleep, someone would thump them with a stick.
28) If someone dozed off, they were tickled with feathers.
29) The worship may not have always been quite right in this period, but these people realized something.
30) Worship to God is a special time. Worship means worship. Worship is an activity.
31) Worship is not something we merely sit through. It is not a time to come and be entertained.
32) It is a time when we are asked to offer something—ourselves—to the God of heaven.
33) If we understand who God is and realize He is worthy of praise, we will worship.
34) We will sing when it is time to sing.
35) We will following with the prayers when they are led. We will be good givers when it comes to giving.
36) We will participate in the Lord's Supper with the right frame of mind.
37) We will seek to learn from the instruction that is offered and do these things to the best of our ability.
a) Sometimes people leave worship and say to themselves or others, “I did not get anything out it today.”
b) When we study angels that is not what we find.
c) Angles do not ask “what did I get from praising God”?
d) The emphasis with angels is on giving instead of getting.
e) We live in a “me” centered culture and “me” often invades the subject of worship.
f) People think about what they want, what they deserve, and how things should go for them.
g) When we leave an assembly we should be asking ourselves just one thing:
h) Did I worship the God of heaven? Did I give God the very best I am capable of giving?
38) Worship is not a time to pass notes or send text messages on a cell phone.
39) It is not a time to make out a grocery list or balance the checkbook.
40) It is a time to enter into the presence of God and honor Him for who He is.
41) If we do not do this, we have attended a place of worship but we have not worshipped.
42) We could probably shock some people this week if we asked a simple question.
a) Suppose tomorrow someone says, “I worshipped yesterday.”
b) Ask them if they (1) went to a place of worship or (2) if they really worshipped.
c) That question would really make some people think.
d) Sitting in a pew for an hour is not worship. Worship is an action word.
e) As human beings w have blessings angels have never received.
f) Jesus died for us.
g) If we have some special blessings, how can our worship be any less passionate and fervent?
43) A point related to this is being present at the various times for worship.
44) In a lot of places people are lax about attending their place of worship.
45) Angels are involved in worship on a regular basis. That fact hints at a pattern.
46) There is to be a regular recognition of and involvement in worship.
47) If this is not how our life is structured, something is not right.
48) Angels provide us with some wonderful and critical lessons about worship.
ANOTHER WORK OF ANGELS (EARLIER WE LISTED FOUR POINTS) IS THEIR INVOLVEMENT WITH COMMUNICATING GOD’S LAW TO MAN.
a) This second function is not surprising.
b) “Angel” is a word simply meaning “messenger.”
c) Messengers sometimes deliver messages.
d) Angels have communicated some parts of heaven’s messages to man.
e) I think a lot of people hear the word “angel” and their minds are drawn to the nature of angels.
f) Maybe 90% of all people associate angel with the nature of these spiritual beings.
g) What angel really means is “messenger.”
h) The word angel is more related to their function rather than their nature.
2) An angel’s nature is spirit and their function is serving as messengers or servants.
3) Very early in the Bible we find both of these items associated with angels.
4) In Gen. 19:12-13 angels arrived in the area of Sodom and said it was going to be destroyed.
5) Angels were performing a service for heaven, and they were also communicating a message.
6) God’s law given at Sinai was given when thousands of angels were present (Deut. 33:2).
7) Gal. 3:19 also says angels were involved in the giving of the law.
8) This is a detail that only comes from the New Testament.
9) Stephen also spoke of this in the sermon recorded in Acts 7 (verse 53).
10) We do not know all that they did, but the had a part in delivering this message to man.
11) An interesting suggestion has been made about angels and their work in this regard.
12) It has been proposed that angels were the ones that actually inscribed the Ten Commandments.
13) When the Old Testament says the tablets were created by the “finger of God” other verses imply angels did this.
14) In one way or another, angels did give the law.
15) Then they gave information to Old Testament prophets such as Daniel (Dan. 7:16; 8:16; 9:21; 10:4-14).
16) They provided information to men like Zechariah (Zech. 1:7-9; 2:1-4; 4:1-14).
17) Even John received information from an angel (Rev.1:1).
18) Angels gave great information to men in the past.
19) Now, however, Jesus has come and God says “listen to Him” (Heb. 1:1-3).
20) Angels teach us about worship and the importance about God’s Scriptures.
21) Angels are very important, but Jesus died only for human beings. That means you and me.
22) Have we taken advantage of His sacrifice?