Ancient Words Miracles of Faith: Power of Angels
Angels are powerful, celestial, created beings to be the messengers of God. They exist in the heavenly realms in spectacular and beautiful fashion but as demonstrated in Bible text, they enter the realm of mankind (more often as a man, a stranger…) to execute God’s will. The timing of the creation of angels is not specific except for the known fact written by Paul in the New Testament. The inspired apostle would write to the church at Colosse that Christ Jesus is the firstborn over all creation, that by him all things: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him (Christ) and for him (Christ). Angels were created by Christ and for Christ, who is the image if the invisible God (Col 1.15-20)!
A brief look at four angel events will show God’s powerful demonstration of his great omnipotence. In Judges 13, the Israelites have been under control of the Philistines for 40 years. A Danite, Manoah and his wife are chosen to have an encounter with an angel. The wife is sterile and childless—it is impossible for her to have a child. The wife tells Manoah in Judges 13:67: Then the woman went to her husband and told him, “A man of God came to me. He looked like an angel of God, very awesome. I didn’t ask him where he came from, and he didn’t tell me his name. But he said to me, ‘You will become pregnant and have a son. Now then, drink no wine or other fermented drink and do not eat anything unclean, because the boy will be a Nazirite of God from the womb until the day of his death.’” The story continues in fascinating style with Manoah praying for the man of God to come back….and he does! Samson would be born from this encounter, become a Judge for Israel and defeat the Philistines which ushers in Elimelech and Ruth…
King Neb in Daniel 3, casts 3 teenage boys in a furnace of fire because they would not bow and would not bend and would not pray to the image of gold but only to their God of Israel. The 3 with courage untold speak to the king in Dan 3:16-18: Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” King Neb leaped to his feet in amazement when he saw 4 men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, with the 4th man looking like “a son of the gods”. Further, King Neb repented as he proclaimed in Dan 3:28: Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.” They did not bow, they did not bend, they did not burn!!
Later in Daniel, King Darius is required to cast Daniel, the prayer-warrior, into a den of lions for not following the king’s edict of prayer. Daniel in the den, in the dark, undoubtedly prays to his God all night long. In the morning, King Darius anxiously calls in Dan 6:20: When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?” Daniel responds: “May the king live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.” The lions were hungry… for Darius cast all who falsely accused Daniel, their wives and children, into the den and the lions attacked and killed them even before they hit the floor!
Peter in Acts 12 is led by an angel of the Lord in his prison escape even while the church is praying for a miracle. His fellow Apostle, young James (John’s brother) had just been executed by Herod and Peter was next. The Ancient Words explain that God’s powerful intervention thru an angel sent to Peter’s locked prison cell accomplished his will on earth. By unlocking chains and prison doors, Peter is set free for the continuing advancement of the church of Jesus Christ, who has all authority and control over the angels of God!