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XI.
Life Only In Christ
Chapter 115
:
The Ministration of Good Angels
1. OF what family does
Paul speak in Ephesians?
"For this cause I bow my knees unto
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom
the whole family in heaven and earth is
named." Eph. 3:14,15.
2. By what name are the
members of this family called?
"Now there was a day when the sons
of God came to present themselves before the
Lord." Job 1:6. "Behold, what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be
called the sons of God." 1 John 3:1.
3. By what name are
those composing the family in heaven commonly
known to us?
"And I beheld, and I heard the voice
of many angels round about the throne."
Rev. 5:11.
4. Did angels exist
before the death of any of the human family?
"So He drove out the man; and He
placed at the east of the garden of Eden
cherubim." Gen. 3:24.
Cherub:
"A creature of a sacred and celestial nature."-Gesenius.
5. Who witnessed the
laying of the foundations of the earth?
"Whereupon are the foundations
thereof fastened? or who laid the corner-stone
thereof; when the morning stars sang
together, and all the sons of God shouted
for joy?" Job 38:6,7.
6. How many of these
beings did John see around the throne?
"And I beheld, and I heard the voice
of many angels round about the throne; . . . and
the number of them was ten thousand times ten
thousand, and thousands of thousands." Rev.
5:11.
7. What does Paul say
of their number?
"But ye are come unto mount Sion, and
unto the city of the living God, the heavenly
Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of
angels." Heb. 12:22. See also Dan. 7:10.
8. Are angels of a
higher order of beings than man?
"Thou hast made him a little lower
than the angels." Ps. 8:5.
NOTES.-There are different orders of angels:
"Cherubim" (Gen. 3:24); "Seraphim" (Isa.
6:2,6); "Archangel" (1 Thess. 4:16; Jude 9).
Some of their names are: "Michael" (Dan.
10:13,21; 12:1; Jude 9); "Gabriel" (Dan.
8:16; 9:21; Luke 1:19); "Uriel" (2 Esdras
[Apocrypha] 4:1,36; 5:20. See 1 Chron.
15:5); "Ariel" (doubtless of angelic origin.
See Ezra 8:16).
Michael means, "Who is like
God," and hence is a fit title for Christ.
Gabriel signifies, "The strength
of God," an appropriate name for the
angel or being who stands next to Christ
(Dan. 10:21). Uriel means, "The
light of God;" Ariel, "The lion
of God."
9. Is Christ ever
called an angel?
"Behold, I send an Angel
before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to
bring thee into the place which I have
prepared." Ex. 23:20. See verse 23; Acts 7:38;
and margin of 1 Cor. 10:4. "The Angel of His
presence saved them." Isa. 63:9. "Michael
the Archangel." Jude 9. See also Dan. 12:1;
1 Thess. 4:16.
NOTE.-Angel means messenger. In Mal.
3:1, Christ is called "the messenger
of the covenant."
10. What is said of the
strength and character of the angels?
"Bless the Lord, ye His angels,
that excel in strength, that do His
commandments, harkening unto the voice of
His word." Ps. 103:20.
11. What description is
given of Gabriel in Daniel?
"His body also was like the beryl,
and his face as the appearance of lightning,
and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his
arms and his feet like in color to polished
brass, and the voice of his words like
the voice of a multitude." Dan. 10:6.
NOTE.-Similar descriptions are given of God,
the "Ancient of days." in Dan. 7:9; and of
Christ. "the Son of man." in Rev. 1:13-15.
12. What was the
appearance of the angel that rolled away the
stone from the sepulcher at the resurrection of
Christ?
"His countenance was like
lightning, and his raiment white as
snow." Matt. 28:3.
13. What shows that the
angels sent to Abraham and Lot were real beings?
"And he [Abraham] took butter, and
milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set
it before them; and he stood by them under the
tree, and they did eat." " And he [Lot]
made them a feast, and did bake unleavened
bread, and they did eat." Gen. 18:8; 19:3.
14. What reason does
Paul give to encourage us to entertain
strangers?
"Be not forgetful to entertain
strangers: for thereby some have entertained
angels unawares." Heb. 13:2.
15. In his dream at
Bethel, what did Jacob see?
"And he dreamed, and behold a ladder
set up on the earth, and the top of it reached
to heaven: and behold the angls of God
ascending and descending on it." Gen. 28:12.
16. To whose authority
are the angels subject?
"Jesus Christ: who is gone into
heaven, and is on the right hand of God;
angels and authorities and powers being made
subject unto Him." 1 Peter 3:21, 22.
NOTE.-In
Joshua 5:13-15, Christ is called "captain of
the Lord's host."
17. In what work are
angels engaged?
"Are they not all ministering
spirits, sent forth to minister for them who
shall be heirs of salvation? " Heb. 1:14.
18. What scripture
indicates that each child of God has an
accompanying angel?
"Take heed that ye despise not one of
these little ones; for I say unto you, That in
heaven their angels do always behold the face of
My Father which is in heaven." Matt. 18:10.
NOTE.-Another has said: "Christians who live
in the light of God's countenance are always
accompanied by unseen angels, and these holy
beings leave behind them a blessing in our
homes."
19. How is their watch-care over God's people
expressed?
"The angel of the Lord encampeth round about
them that fear Him, and delivereth them."
Ps. 34:7.
20. By what means were
the three Hebrews protected while in the fiery
furnace?
"I see four men loose, walking in the
midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and
the form of the fourth is like the Son of
God. . . . Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and
said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abed-nego, who hath sent His angel, and
delivered His servants that trusted in Him."
Dan. 3:25-28.
21. When cast into the
lions' den, how did Daniel say he had been saved
from death?
"My God hath sent His angel, and
hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have
not hurt me: forasmuch as before Him innocency
was found in me." Dan. 6:22.
22. When surrounded by
the Syrian host, what did Elisha say, and for
what did he pray, to encourage his frightened
servant?
"And he answered, Fear not: for
they that be with us are more than they that be
with them. And Elisha prayed, and said,
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." 2 Kings 6:16,17.
23. What does the
psalmist say of the chariots of God?
"The chariots of God are twenty
thousand, even thousands of angels." Ps.
68:17.
24. By what means were
the apostles delivered from prison?
"The angel of the Lord by
night opened the prison doors, and
brought them forth." Acts 5:19.
25. How was Peter
delivered later?
"The angel of the Lord came upon
him, and a light shined in the prison: and
he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up,
saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell
off from his hands. . . . And he saith unto him,
Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. . .
. They came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto
the city; which opened to them of his own
accord: and they went out, and passed on through
one street; and forth with the angel departed
from him." Acts 12:7-10.
NOTE.-"What we call physical law is no
obstruction to angelic ministrations. Bolts
and bars and prison gates disappear at their
volition, and dungeons like palaces shine in
their presence. No place can be so dismal,
no cavern so deep and dark, no Inquisition
cell so hidden and fetid, no fortress so
strongly guarded, that they cannot find
quick and easy access, if a child of God is
there."- "Footprints of Angels in Fields
of Revelation," by E. A. Stockman, pages 74,
75.
26. When Elijah was
about to take a forty days' journey, how was he
strengthened for it?
"And the angel of the Lord came
again the second time, and touched him, and
said, Arise and eat; because the journey is
too great for thee. And he arose, and did eat
and drink, and went in the strength of that meat
forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount
of God." 1 Kings 19:7,8.
27. After His forty
days' fast and temptation in the wilderness, how
was Christ strengthened?
"Then the devil leaveth Him, and,
behold, angels came and ministered unto Him."
Matt. 4:11.
28. How was Christ
strengthened while suffering in the garden of
Gethsemane?
"And there appeared an angel unto
Him from heaven, strengthening Him." Luke
22:43.
29. Are the angels
interested in the plan of salvation?
"Which things the angels desire to
look into." 1 Peter 1:12.
30. Are they interested
in the conversion of men? "Likewise,
I say unto you, there is joy in the presence
of the angels of God over one sinner that
repenteth." Luke 15:10.
31. Before whom are we
said to speak?
"Better is it that thou shouldest not
vow, than that thou
shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth
to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou
before the angel, that it was an error:
wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and
destroy the work of thine hands?" Eccl. 5:5,6.
32. For what must men
give account in the judgment?
"But I say unto you, That every
idle word that men shall speak, they shall
give account thereof in the day of judgment."
Matt. 12:36. See also Eccl. 12:13,14.
33. Out of what will
they be judged?
"And I saw the dead, small and great,
stand before God; and the books were opened: and
another book was opened, which is the book of
life: and the dead were judged out of those
things which were written in the books,
according to their works." Rev. 20:12.
34. What shows that the actions of men are
recorded?
"And the Lord harkened, and heard it, and a
book of remembrance was written before Him
for them that feared the Lord, and that thought
upon His name." Mal. 3:16. See also Isa. 65:6;
Jer. 2:22.
35. In the judgment how
many angels minister before God?
"A fiery stream issued and came forth
from before Him: thousand thousands
ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten
thousand stood before Him: the judgment was
set, and the books were opened." Dan. 7:10.
NOTE.-Since the angels are our ministering
spirits, and our lives are open before them,
it is reasonable to infer that they make the
record of our lives. Then when the books are
examined, they will of necessity be present,
to minister before God.
36. What does Christ
promise overcomers?
"He that overcometh, the same shall
be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot
out his name out of the book of life, but I
will confess his name before My Father, and
before His angels." Rev. 3:5.
37. What protection has
God promised His people during the seven last
plagues?
"There shall no evil befall thee,
neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
For He shall give His angels charge over
thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall
bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy
foot against a stone." Ps. 91:10-12.
38. When Christ comes,
who will come with Him, and what will they do?
"For the Son of man shall come in the
glory of His Father with His angels."
"And they shall gather together His elect
from the four winds, from one end of heaven to
the other." Matt. 16:27; 24:31.
39. Where will all the
saints then go?
"Then we which are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in the
clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so
shall we ever be with the Lord." 1 Thess. 4:17.
NOTE.-We
shall then have the privilege of seeing and
conversing not only with the good and blest
of all ages, but with the angels who have
ministered to us during our earthly
pilgrimage.
O, MAY Thine
angels, while I sleep,
Around my bed their vigils keep;
Their love angelical instil,
Stop every avenue of ill!
May they celestial joys rehearse,
And thought to thought with me converse.
BISHOP
KENT. |
