Angels:
Servants Of God or New Age Messengers?
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising
themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even
Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore, it is not
surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants
of righteousness; whose end shall be according tho their deeds.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15
Time Magazine once noted, " If there is such a thing as a universal idea, common across cultures and throughout the centuries, the belief in angels comes close to it. " Leading philosopher Mortimer J. Adler, editor of the Encyclopedia Britanica stated; " Angels are more fascinating than any other science fiction, or the concept of UFO's ". Why? According to the Bible, angels helped shape the course of human existence. Directly or indirectly, angels have appeared in some shape or form in every culture and civilization. There have been hundreds of thousands of " angelic encounters" good and evil throughout history. They have also played key roles in every human world religion. From the angel Gabriel's announcement of the birth of the Messiah, called Christ, to the angel Gabriel who gave Muhammad the revelation of the Q'uran, and again to the angel Moroni, who revealed to Joseph Smith the location of the golden plates, which allegedly contained the ancient writings that would translate into the Book of Mormon.
Angels have resurged in modern society today so much so as to be labeled a craze. Polls indiciate the rising poqularity of angels. Almost three out of four americans believe in angels. That adds up to about 200 Million. Furthermore, worldwide this adds up to about three billion. Every year the American Conference on Angels holds it's meetings. There are angel seminars, newsletters, college courses and even angel sections in bookstores. There exists the Angel Watch Network, the Angels Collector's Club of America, the National Organization of Angel Lovers, all manner of angel novelty, gift and specialty stores, and many other associated angel enterprises.
Angels are believed to be anything from the mighty messengers and soldiers of God who are awesome, even fearsome, to the New Age version of chubby little baby cherubs, spiritual guides and companions, available to everyone for everything just like aspirin. ( Only the New Age Movement could it be possible to reinvent angels so mellow as to be ignored. ) Books continue to be published on angels and all manner of angel related topics. At one time, five out of every ten books on the religious best seller list were on angels. Some titles include;
Devotion to Holy Angels
100 Ways to Attract Angels
Know Your Angels
Ask Your Angels
Commune With The Angels
Creating With The Angels
Angel Voices
The Angels Within Us and hundreds more.
Why Are Angels So Popular?
Five reasons angels are so popular are;
1. A Dramatic Spiritual Awakening!
There is a renewed interest in spirituality, from Christianity and other world religions, to the New Age and the world of the Occult.
2. The Existence Of Angels Proves The Existence Of God.
The issue of the existence of a race of spiritual beings brings to mind some of the deepest personal questions man has asked throughout history. If angels do exist, then a spiritual dimension to this universe exists. This in turn carries us back to profound questions about God as creator and other related questions such as;
Who Am I?
What is the purpose of my Existence?
What will happen to me when I die?
3. People Inherently Want To Believe In Angels.
People cannot help themselves. They really want to allow for the existence of angels for many different reasons. One idea is the fact that an individual can experience the comfort of spiritual security, faith and guidance without obligations or responsibilities. No answering to a Personal God or Creator, or any specific writing or religion. It's gaining spiritual blessings without having to be spiritually accountable to anyone. Hollywood and the media capitalize on this in the theater, TV, literature, film, art and music, angels are in the minds of society, and even the skeptics can't seem to help themselves.
4. Angels Seem To Provide Answers To The Meaning Of Life.
Angels are thought to play a vital role in providing humanity with life's answers. There is a growing movement that teaches that angels reside within us and are waiting for us to use them to tap into our human potential, enhance our creativity, like the Greek Muses of mythology, provide psychological fulfillment and attain spiritual enlightenment. They target what humans seem to need most...Assurance, love, guidance and direction.
5. Angels Seem Eager to Interact With Us.
In 1 Peter 1:12, they seem to be curious creatures, In Psalm 91:11-12, they are assigned to protect us. In Hebrews 1:13-14, they are created to obey God and minister to us. They seem ready to give answers and intercede when God seems to be noticeably silent, or is not answering our prayers how and when we like.
6. It Is Assumed That Angels Can Only Be " Good ". .
If it is assumed that there is no such thing as the devil or evil angels, how can contacting them be a risk and anything but a wonderful spiritual experience?
FEAR NOT
The word " angel " appears some three hundred times, in twenty-four books of the Bible. This does not include synonyms such as sons of God, holy ones, morning stars, Cherabim, Seraphim, ministering spirits, watchers etc. In all, these terms are found in thirty-five books of the bible. The Hebrew word Mal'ak and the Greek word Aggelos both mean Messenger. These terms can be used interchangeably between both men and spirits. This means that the context in which the words are used determines if it is meant as a human or spirit messenger. The most common Biblical use is that of a divine spiritual messenger.
A Fellow Sevant
What is the Biblical view of Angels?
a. Angels Are Spirit Beings Created By God.
Prior to the creation of the universe, they were created as servants of God to perform the will of God here on the earth. In Job 38:4-7, they were already in existence at the creation of the world. In Revelation 5:11, 8:2, 9:15, 12:7 they are innumerable and of various different ranks, duties and abilities.
b. Angels Are Personal Spirits.
They have wills - Hebrews 1:6
They rejoice at a sinner's repentance - Luke 15:10
They express concern at being worshipped - Revelation 22:9
They communicate with each other - Revelation 14:18
They worship and praise God - Revelation 7:11
c. Anges cannot die and have incredible power.
In 2 Kings 19:34-35, angels destroyed 125,000 enemy soldiers in one night. They possess vast intelligence and wisdom. In their natural, spiritual state they can move at unimaginable speed and are not bound by time or space. Angels may also be aware of men's prayers and future events. Luke 1:13-16. In spite of this, angels are neither Omniscient or Omnipresent. Daniel 10:13, Mathew 24:36, 1 Peter 1:12, Revelation 12:7. NOTE: Satan as an angel is not God's equal opposite. As a fallen Cherub, he is not all-knowing, all-powerful and cannot be in more than one location at a time. It might appear this way since Satan seems to have the cooperation of the entire world in his evil purposes and schemes.
d. There are different classifications of angels.
Cherubim - never called angels, probably because they are not messengers. Their chief purpose is to proclaim and protect God's glory, sovereignty and holiness. Satan was apparently one of the Cherubim class, making his rebellion and fall all the more significant. Cherubim appear in Genesis 3:24, Exodus 25:17-22, Hebrews 9:5, Ezekiel 10:4, 18:22.
Seraphim - These angels are consumed with personal devotion to God. Isaiah 6:2-3.
Archangels - Best known are Michael and Gabriel.
Angels of lower ranks and special groups of angels. Revelation 1:1, 8:2, 15:1,7.
Furthermore...
Holy angels glorify God and our lord Jesus Christ - Isaiah 6:3, Luke 2:13-4
They communicate God's will and obey only Him - Daniel 9:21-23, Psalm 103:19-22
They execute Christ's commands - 1 Thessalonians 1:7-8
They are ministering spirits to believers and unbelievers, but especially believers - Hebrews 1:14, Acts 27:23
They guide, provide, protect, encourage and deliver God's people - Psalm 34:7, Matthew 1:18-21, 28:5-7.
A true angel from God would confirm, and never contradict the Bible in any way - Galatians 1:8-9
Angelic Misconceptions
Many false concepts about angels abound today, inside and outside of the Body of Christ. Myths such as...
Angels are human dead.
Nowhere do the Scriptures teach that we are " angels in training " and that we become angels looking after our loved ones when we die. Do you think we could do a better job of looking after our loved ones than God and His Holy Spirit?
Angels can do God's work through occult practices.
Do Christians honestly believe God uses angels to accomplish His will and answer their prayers through the use of Horoscopes, Astrology, Ouija boards, Tarot Cards, Crystals, Yoga, Accupuncture and many other occult tools and practices outlawed by His own Word? Believe it or not...they do!
Satan is not a fallen angel.
Of course not, to admit this would be to admit that evil angels are a possibility.
Jesus Christ is an angel.
Some non-Christian sects believe Jesus to be simply another angel created by God. ( Jehovah's Witnesses, even some protestant denominations. ) Satan would like nothing better because Jesus is no longer who the bible says He is. Jesus defined and accepted in any way that contradicts the Scriptures is a false christ and does not have the power to save anyone. John 8:24, Matthew 24:23-26.
Angels have to be good, simply because they are angels.
These false ideas indicate how important it is to know what the Bible teaches about holy and fallen angels. This also indicates how willing people are out of ignorance to get in line like sheep for a slaughter. People have no real test to ascertain whether an angel is good or evil. They simply deny the existence of the evil ones to serve their own interests. Any manifestation of a spirit claiming to be good must be taken at face value. How would you be able to tell the difference?
FALLEN
The Bible records that evil angels were once created as holy, and endowed with a free will. They are morally corrupt spirits that rebelled against God. Evil angels or demons, are not the spirits of dead human beings. The spirits of human beings are not allowed to roam the earth after death. Luke 16:19-1, 2 Peter 2:9, Hebrews 9:27.
Their rebellion was led by Satan, which resulted in their fall and expulsion from the presence of God. As a result, they became destructive, self-centered creatures who seek to thwart the purposes of God and Jesus Christ. Demons are forever set in their ways and beyond redemption. They have a seething hate for humanity and everything God has created. Their own destruction is guaranteed and they would like nothing better than to take as many humans with them as possible. God created hell for the devil and his angels, and those that die in rebellion and disobedience to God by their own free will choice will share the same fate. Matthew 25:31-41, Revelation 20:3,7,10.
Attributes
For a comprehensive listing of powers and abilities of angels, good or evil, please click here...Angelic Powers. I will mention a few.
1. A demon's strategy is Deception! John 8:44
They seek to blind people to spiritual truth. This can easily be achieved by seemingly granting requests and prayers. Once your requests is answered, you will be open and willing to believe in the grantor. They deceive through false revelations, visions, dreams, religions, manifestations, miracles, signs and wonders. God warns us against this...Deuteronomy 13:1-3. 2 Corinthians 4:4, 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10
2. They are not the product of insanity or mental disorders.
They are not just superstitious ramblings of an ignorant and backward people trying to explain mental illnesses or Epilepsy. The writers of Scripture clearly distinguish between mental disorders and demonic possession. Matthew 4:24, Mark 1:32-34
Lest You Dash Your Foot...
Do we have Guardian Angel? Yes. According to the Scriptures, we each have a host of them. BUT...the Bible does not teach that we have a special angel assigned to each one of us. God the Father sends angels to watch over us and especially children, who's angels have priority in the presence of God. Matthew 18:10. There are strict limitations as to how we are to interact with angels and they with humans. For starters;
We do not attempt to contact angels.
Nowhere in the Bible is contacting angels taught or encouraged. Angels obey and respond to God alone. They are under no obligation to communicate with us at our own desire. Only by God's will do angels come to us, and we are to submit ALL our petitions to God alone, through Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Psalm 103:19-22
Angels from God never accept worship or devotion.
A principle in Scripture that cannot be ignored is that angels sent by God are always overly concerned with eving any manner of worship or devotion. Revelation 19:10, 22:8-9. But in the Scriptures we see that when Satan tempted out Lord in wilderness, it was the foremost issue on his mind. Matthew 4. His followers will always follow suit.
Methods Of Contact
There are many books in existence from modern to ancient times that deal with contact and devotion to angels. In parts of the Catholic Church, there are child prayers that seek to initiate conversations witth their guardian angels. In the New Age, they use any and all methods typically found world of the occult. Altered States of Consciousness, Meditation, Visualization, Developing Psychic Abilities, Divination, Drug Usage, Magic Rituals and so on.
Some New Age authors have have justified their contacting and channeling of angels by citing the Catholic Church's practice of praying to departed human saints and to angels. Because they are relatively easy to contact, ( and eager to be contacted. ) for those individuals determined to do so, evil angels can and have influenced people's lives today.
Can a True Christian be demon-possessed?
Although the controversy rages, I firmly believe that although a demon can harrass, oppress or even zap you, it cannot ever possess a true believer. God's Holy Spirit would never share His temple with demons. 1 Corinthians 6:19, Colossians 1:13, 1 John 4:4. I would like someone to point out just one instance where a confessed Christian was ever delivered from demonic possession by one of the apostles or followers of Jesus. I will deal more with subject in another lesson.
Messengers Of A New Age
What are the major differences between Godly angels of the Scriptures and the popular angels of the New Age?
1. Popular angels deny and distort the teachings of the Bible.
New Age angles teach basic paganistic beliefs including Hinduism, occult practices, Pantheism, Universalism, and that the Christ Consciousness resides in all human beings...regardless of what they believe. Galatians 1:6-9
Of course, most people assume that since these beings claim to be angels it is only natural for them to quote the Scriptures. Isn't that what we expect? John Randolph Price comments...
" Could an angel possibly be associated with Satan? "
He obviously does not think it's possible. But didn't Satan quote the
scriptures to Jesus when he tried to tempt Him in the wilderness?
Matthew 4
The following are several so-called revelations received from angels by different individuals, and the biblical quotes that relate to them. We see that there is no possible way these can be angels sent by God.
" You may think there is only one truth; yet we your angels suggest that all
of you have your own truth, your own interpretation of divine law..."
no one way is right or wrong.
John 14:6, 1 John 2:21, Romans 3:23
" It is wrong to feel that only one way is the authentic path to God. "
John 10:1-12, Acts 4:12, 1 Timothy 2:-6
" Love, is the capacity to allow all other living things to grow
into their fullest expression of self. "
John 3:16, 1 Corinthians 13:3-8
" In truth, I am the spirit of God;
For God is all, and all is God. "
Ezekiel 28:2-4
Consider the following meditation provided by angels channelled through John Randolph Price in his book, The Angels Within Us; A Spiritual guide To The 22 Angels That Govern Our Lives:
" All that God is, I AM. I Am divine purity, I Am perfect love,
I AM the peace that goes beyond understanding;
I Am omnipotent, I Am perfect judgment, I Am the only supply,
I Am that I AM. Read Exodus 3:13-14.
Modern cults and religions that began with angelic contact:
The Church Of Christ and Latter Day Saints( Mormonism ), Jehovah's Witnesses, Unity School Of Christianity, A Course In Miracles, Self-Realization Fellowship, Islam and many others to name a few.
Angels In The Church
The New Age Movement claims angelic revelations help us to create self-esteem, health, wealth and prosperity. Teachings such as:
" We should meditate for an understanding of what produced the condition
of lack in our minds, speak that word for healing, and work with the
angel of abundance to reveal a divinely prosperous life. "
Or as another popular angel reveals;
" I have promised you unlimited prosperity, I am the Lord
your healer, I heal all your diseases. "
Other angels advise you that:
" I harness the power that enables me to realize all my desires and objectives."
" I create my own miracles. "
" Make contact with the angel and ask how you are limiting your own success."
" Let him ( angel ) show ou any false beliefs that block
the flow of health and wealth. "
Amazingly enough, the modern Christian prosperity movement has aligned itself with those same new age teachings mentioned above. Like the New Age Movement, they claim to receive their teachings by direct revelation of God, through the mediation of angels. Kenneth and Gloria Copeland tell believers...
" When you use the Word in the Name of Jesus, angels are
obligated to follow your commands. There is no shortage of
angel power. How long do you think it will take them to make you wealthy? "
Popular TV evangelist Jerry Savellesays that when you apply the principles of the faith movement...
" The angels come on the scene to see that what you say comes to pass. "
Robert Tilton & Benny Hinn...
" When you talk positively about your dream, you not only release it's substance,
but you release the angels to work for you, causing your dream to come to pass. "
No wonder New Agers look at us, shake their heads and wonder what we are so upset about. We live in an age when we all need a more critical attitude towards spiritual phenomena. This includes practicing greater discernment towards many practices and beliefs that claim to be Christian. No one denies the ministry of God's holy angels; but for the individual who cannot tell the difference between godly and evil angels, they place their souls at risk. God bless you Saints.
For Further Study
Encyclopedia Of The New Age Ankerberg & Weldon.
The Covering: God's Plan to protect you from evil Hank Hanegraaff
Next Lesson:
Check out the rest of the lessons in:
An Expose of the New Age Movement
