Saturday, August 28, 2010

Angels (Is your faith misplaced?)

Some of my friends have told me that they have little angels watching over them, angels who help them in times of need and keep them from harm's way.  I believe that's true, and there's nothing wrong with believing in the existence of angels.  The Bible says they exist. But, I wonder if we forget the God who made the little angels (or as it says in the Bible, the mighty angels!).  Are we giving more reverence to the pot than the Potter who made them and us?

I have watched people give great reverence to  leaders of the faith, religious leaders, servants of God - the Pope, bishops, priests, pastors, evangelists, etc. I have seen people kiss the ground these religious leaders walk on, clamor for an opportunity to get close to them, kiss their hands, and even pray to them and to other sacred religious icons.  It's good and well to respect our spiritual leaders, but again we need to ask ourselves, are we giving more reverence to the pot than the Potter?

Recently I was reading the book of Joshua and came across a passage in chapter 5 that made me wonder - are angels our friends or foes? Or do they care one way or another about us? One day during the Israelites 40 years journey to their promised land following their release from Egypt, the Israelites and their leader Joshua (following Moses' death) had to cross over the Jordan river to the city of Jericho. We read that God stopped the flow of the river so that Joshau and the Israelites could cross over.  As Joshua approached the city of Jericho, he looked up and saw a man facing him with sword in hand.  Joshua went up to him and asked, " Are you friend or foe?"

"Neither one," he replied.  "I am commander of the LORD'S army."  At this Joshua fell with his face to the ground in reverence.  "I am at your command," Joshua said.  "What do you want your servant to do?"

The commander of the LORD'S army replied, "Take off your sandals, for this is holy ground." And Joshua did as he was told. (Joshua 5:13-15.)

In my mind I could almost hear the dispassionate voice of the angel.  The angel's posture with drawn out sword and manner of reply to Joshua's question made me wonder what would he have done if Joshua had disobeyed and refused to take of his sandals.  Why was the commander of the LORD'S army there in the first place? Why was it that the ground (ahead) that Joshua approached to meet the man with the drawn sword in hand, holy ground?

The answer could be seen in what happened to David for his numbering sin - for taking a census of his men. When David forgot that it was God who went ahead of him and it was He who gave him all the victories, he vainly ordered a census of all the able bodied men of his kingdom, thinking it was his own might that had been leading him victoriously. God punished David!  Seventy thousand (70,000) Israelites perished at the hands of one angel before the LORD relented...2 Samuel 24:15.  When David looked up, he saw the angel of the LORD standing between heaven and earth with his sword drawn, stretched out over Jerusalem...2 Chronicles 21:16.  David was a man whose heart was fashioned after that of the LORD's, the Bible says.  But even in his case, the angel's allegiance was to the LORD, not David!

In the case of King Hezekiah of Judah under seige by King Senacherib of Assyria, the LORD sent an angel to help Hezekiah, who we read in the book of Isaiah 37:36, killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night. 

Angels are neither your friend nor your foe. They carry out the orders of their master - the LORD GOD Jehovah.  The angel carries out the command of the LORD whether it's in your favor or against you. Don't forget that it is the LORD who watches over you. It is He who gave his only son, Jesus Christ, as a price for our sins. It is to him that our worship, our praise, our adoration be raised.

The Bible teaches, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the way, the truth, and the life.  No one can come to the Father except through him...(John 14:6).  Know the Truth by reading the Bible and studying it so that you won't be misled!

In Christ alone by the News Boys

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