Dear Reader, please join me as we use mock interviews to take closer look sat some of God’s chosen heralds of the good news of His Son’s birth.
This is quite an honor! First I got to chat with Gabriel, now TWO Angels of the Lord! I'm sure our readers would like to understand more about you and your work. What would you like to share with us?
The God of Heaven and Earth created us at the foundation of the world (Job 38:4-7 ICB). He created each angel for a purpose, primarily to serve Him and His children (Hebrews 1:14 GNT). He is also the God of trust and obedience, both in heaven and on earth. Before we chat about some folks who demonstrated remarkable trust and obedience, may we have a minute to clear up a few misconceptions about angels and our work?
First of all, can we get over the notion that angels are sweet little Cupid-like creatures floating around on fluffy pink clouds? Or, though very charming but not scriptural, the pretty little girls in white robes with sparkly halos in Sunday School pageants? That’s not the images the Lord God Almighty painted in His Word.
We’re not a bunch of warm and fuzzy guys, or robots. We’re spiritual beings who experience anger (Numbers 22:31-35 TLB), and joy (Luke 15: 10 NKJV). Besides serving and ministering to God’s children, we are frequently sent to guard (Psalm 91:11 MEV), protect, and intervene for them. Think of us as the fullbacks or offensive linemen on God’s football team. The Creator of the Universe has also sent us on search and destroy missions (Ezekiel 9:1-3 AMP, Psalm 78:49 TLB). All that to stress just how crucial it is for our relationships with the Lord be built on trust and obedience.
I get that angels were created by God, in the beginning, to serve. Does that mean you don't have a choice in the matter? What motivates you to do what you do?
Sure, we have a will, but look how that played out when the head angel tried to use his will to usurp the Lord God Almighty’s power (Ezekiel 28:12-18 TLB, Isaiah 14: 12-17 TLB). That guy definitely did not have a handle on the benefits of trust and obedience. Not only that, but really? Who wouldn’t want to serve God with all His power and majesty (1 Chronicles 29: 11 ERV)?
I had no idea angels do so much, and so many different things. With all that you are empowered to do, are there any challenges to being an angel?
Probably the biggest challenge for angels sent as messengers from God is when the recipient either fails to recognze us, or respect the Authority of our messages. Remember Balaam (Numbers 22:31-35 TLB), or Sarah (Genesis 18: 15 TLB), and what about Zechariah (Luke 1: 13-14, 18 ERV), and his wife’s young cousin, Mary (Luke 1: 28-34 TPT). Look, angels love what we do, but we also appreciate it when people take us seriously.
Thinking about your service as God's messengers, what else would you'd like to share with our readers?
Maybe because some people try to blow us off, it’s pretty terrific when someone pays attention and obeys the guidance God sends via His courier angels like Joseph did. No questions, no backtalk, or chuckling, just obedience.
While Joseph thought about this, an angel of the Lord came to him in a dream. The angel said, “Joseph, descendant of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife. The baby in her is from the Holy Spirit…When Joseph woke up, he did what the Lord’s angel had told him to do. Joseph married Mary.
Matthew 1:20, 24 ICB
Joseph wasn’t the only one doing the right thing. It became crystal clear to us why the God of trust and obedience chose the players He did for this pinacle experience: their devotion to believing in God’s Word and to following it.
The shepherds in the field the night Jesus was born weren’t anything special. Matter of fact, they were near the bottom of the local pecking order. They worked all the time so chances are they didn’t have much Temple time for formal instruction. And yet…they chose to trust and obey when it mattered most.
Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared in radiant splendor before them, lighting up the field with the blazing glory of God, and the shepherds were terrified… “For today in Bethlehem a rescuer was born for you. He is the Lord Yahweh, the Messiah…
Then all at once in the night sky, a vast number of glorious angels appeared, the very armies of heaven! And they all praised God, singing…
When the choir of angels disappeared and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go! Let’s hurry and find this Word who is born in Bethlehem and see for ourselves what the Lord has revealed to us.” So they hurried off and found their way to Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in a feeding trough.
Luke 2:9, 11,13,15-16 TPT
