THE DIGNITY OF THE ANGELS

First part

The fundamental dignity of the heavenly hosts can be appreciated in four ways. Some of these points have already been touched but they may admit more comment.

The pre-incarnate Lord identifies with them

They are linked to the holy throne of God

They are agents authorized by God

They minister to the Lord on earth

1. THE PRE-ENARNED LORD IS IDENTIFIED WITH THEM

There is no reasonable doubt that as a general rule the words "the Angel of Jehovah" or "the Angel of God", which are found almost seventy times in the Old Testament, clearly refer to a specific and special individual. Although there are those who disagree, most exhibitors perceive that the manifestations of the "Angel of Jehovah" are Theophany, or representations of God to man before the incarnation of the Lord Jesus. This belief explains many portions of Scripture that would otherwise seem enigmatic and difficult.

The conditions around the fourteen Theophanies found in the Old Testament lead to the conclusion that "the Angel of Jehovah" is really a divine Person. The first occasion is found in Genesis 16 when “the Angel of the Lord” appeared to Hagar who “called the name of Jehovah who spoke with her: You are God who sees; because he said: Have I not also seen him who sees me here? ”(16.13).

It is "the Angel of the Lord" who, swearing by himself, tells Abraham: "By myself I have sworn, says Jehovah, that because you have done this, and you have not refused me your son, your only son; I will bless you, of course, and (I) multiply your offspring ”(Genesis 22.16 , 17 ). The writer to the Hebrews attributes this oath to God who does not lie (6.17 , 18 ). "The Angel of Jehovah" who spoke to Jacob in Genesis 31 takes for himself the designation of "the God of Bethel " (31.13) and he "Angel of Jehovah" who appeared to Moses in Horeb "in a flame of Fire ”is also identified as“ the God of your father, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob ”(Exodus 3.2 to 6).

"The Angel of the Lord" says to the children of Israel: "I brought you out of Egypt ... I will never invalidate my covenant with you" (Judges 2.1). Other similar incidents are found in the experiences of Balaam (Numbers 22), Gideon, (Judges 6), Manoah (chapter 13), David (2 Samuel 24), Elijah (1 Kings 19), Ornan (1 Chronicles 21), Isaiah (Isaiah 37) and Zechariah (Zechariah 1).

Here we have limited ourselves to the occasions when the words “the Angel of Jehovah” are used, but there are others where a divine Person is present in the form of an angel or a human, implying again that the Angel of Jehovah is not simply one of its kind but the only one in its class. Thus the Almighty Creator himself dignified the room of the angels by revealing himself as "the Angel of Jehovah."

With these biblical references before us, what depth of meaning is found in the text of Psalm 34.7 , 8 : “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and defends them. Taste, and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts him. ”

The "Angel of the Lord" possesses all the attributes of the deity. In Exodus 23.21 Jehovah the Lord of Israel affirms, "My name is in him." Everything that expresses the ineffable Name of Jehovah is found in one that God calls "my Angel" (Exodus 23.23). It is also called "the angel of his presence" (Isaiah 63.9). He who had poured great goodness upon the house of Israel says there of him: “In every distress of them he was distressed, and the angel of his face saved them; in his love and in his clemency he redeemed them, and brought them, and lifted them up every day of old. ”

There are two more interesting titles assigned to the Angel of Jehovah. In Job 33,23,24 the Lord says: “If I had close to him ─ near the men who go to the grave ─ some eloquent highly chosen mediator ─ an angel ─ who announces to man his duty ─ that of the angel ─ to tell him that God had mercy on him, that freed him from descending to the grave, that he found redemption. ” Some may find it difficult with the way we have paraphrased the verse, but it is likely that there is little discrepancy in regard to the meaning at the bottom of the text itself. In Malachi 3.1 he is called “the angel of the covenant,” the One who will fulfill the covenant, purifying the sons of Levi and making the offering of Judah and Jerusalem pleasing to the Lord. These two titles ─ "the Redemption" and "the Angel of Jehovah" ─ point to the two adventures of the Lord Jesus and help us identify what is so often called the "Angel of Jehovah." He came in the first instance to give his life for many (Matthew 20.28) and comes a second time to fulfill all the promises of the covenant (Hebrews 9:20 , 28 ).

Such is the dignity of these holy beings that the Lord himself, before being made flesh and "tabernacle" among us (John 1.14), deigned to reveal himself as "the Angel of Jehovah."

2. THEY ARE LINKED TO THE HOLY THRONE OF GOD

The dignity of his position is also seen in his close relationship with the Throne of God. Apart from the unique relationship that the cherubs have with the Throne (Revelation 4.6), Gabriel tells Zacharias, "I am Gabriel, that I am before God" (Luke 1.9). The drama of Redemption, as the New Testament reveals, opens with a man on earth introduced to the intimacies of heaven by an angelic ministry. Five hundred years before, Gabriel appeared to Daniel in similar circumstances; that is, at the time of the afternoon sacrifice, to announce the seventy weeks determined on Israel to end the transgression and introduce the sanctity of the ages. This would be done when the Messiah of Israel was cut (Daniel 9). In Luke 1, Gabriel announces the birth of the Messiah, launching the process of bringing salvation that had been announced long before.

Similar to Gabriel's, the seven angels of Revelation 8, responsible for carrying out the seven trumpet judgments, are also "standing before God," and "another angel," namely, one of the same kind. than the seven (8.2 , 3 ). Many perceive that this last angel is the Lord Jesus himself, but since the pronoun means "another of the same kind" and that the Lord Jesus is not spoken of as an angel anywhere else in the Testament, it seems more appropriate to see him as a angelic server that has characteristics like those of Christ.

Be that as it may, this "angel" strengthens the prayers of the suffering saints of that period. The result is that when the seven angels prepare to sound their trumpets of judgment and "the seven last plagues" are poured out on the inhabitants of the earth, the cry of those who

They said , "How long, Lord, holy and true?" (6.10), receives a response through the ministry of the angel who throws fire on the earth from the altar. Then, while the last of the angels throws his cup of wrath upon the earth, "voices and thunder, and a great earth tremor" (16.17 , 18 ) accompany his action. Pray Daniel 7.9,10: “Thrones were put on, and an Ancient of days sat down, whose dress was white as snow… A river of fire proceeded and went out from before him; thousands of thousands served him, and millions of millions attended before him; the Judge sat down, and the books were opened. ” It is certainly amazing to consider that when the Lord reveals himself in his glory, he will be accompanied by these "angels of his power" (2 Thessalonians 1.7).

In the book of Revelation, one of these angels challenges the universe (chapter 5), another angel exercises his authority over the chaotic land (chapter 10) and yet another takes revenge on Babylon for the blood of martyrs and saints (chapter 18 ).