Jesus - God with us

April 9, 2016

Jesus and angels

Jesus and the devil and demons

the difference between humanity and the

angels

The Gospels give us only incidental information on angels.

The Gospels often mention and they simply give us

incidental information about them as they touch on the story

of Jesus.

The emphasis is that Jesus already has absolute power over

the demons or evil spirits.

https://www.gci.org/bible/gospels/angels

Angels

Angels are spirit beings, messengers and

servants of God.

They have a special role in four major events for

Jesus (announcement, and birth, temptation, and

resurrection also his second coming),

Jesus referred to them on occasion as he taught

about other subjects.

Announcing John the Baptist and Jesus’ Birth

Gabriel appeared to Zechariah to announce that he would have a

son, John the Baptist (Luke 1:11-19 ). Gabriel also told Mary that

she would have a son, Jesus (vv. 26-38). Joseph was told about it

by an angel in a dream (Matthew 1:20-24 ).

An angel announced the birth of Jesus to shepherds, and a host of

angels sang praises (Luke 2:9-15 ). An angel again appeared to

Joseph in a dream to tell him to flee to Egypt, and when it was

safe to return (Matthew 2:13 , 19 ).

Angels during Jesus’ temptation and at the

Garden of Gethsemane

Angels are mentioned again in Jesus’ temptation. Satan

quoted a verse about angelic protection, and angels

ministered to Jesus after the temptation (Matthew 4:6 ,

11 ).

An angel came to strengthen Jesus in Gethsemane while

he prepared for the crucifixion (Luke 22:43 ).

Angels at the arrest and the resurrection of Jesus

Jesus could have had legions of angels at his arrest, but he did not

ask for them (Matthew 26:53 ).

Angels were there at the resurrection, as mentioned in all four

Gospels. An angel rolled back the stone and told the women

that Jesus was risen (Matthew 28:2-5 ). The women saw one or

two angels inside the tomb (Mark 16:5 ; Luke 24:4, 23 ; John

20:11 ).

Angels at the second coming of Jesus

Jesus said that angels will play a major role when he

returns. Angels will come with him and will gather the

elect for salvation and the unsaved for destruction

(Matthew 13:39-49 ;24:31 ).

Angels will be involved in the judgment (Luke 12:8-9).

Perhaps this is when people will see angels “ascending

and descending upon the Son of Man” (John 1:51 ).

what else do the Gospels say about angels

Angels may appear as a plain person, or with unusual glory (Luke

2:9 ; 24:4 ).

They do not die and do not marry (Luke 20:35-36).

Jesus said that “little ones who believe in me” have angels in

heaven who care for them (Matthew 18:6 , 10 ). Angels rejoice

when people turn to God, and they bring the righteous to

paradise (Luke 15:10; 16:22 ).

The essential difference is that angels are not created in the image of God.

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.(Genesis 1:26-27 ESV)

For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.(Hebrews 2:5-8 ESV)

Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?(Hebrews 1:14 ESV)

Angels are spiritual beings, created as individuals. They were not created to develop skills or talents or to have dominion over the world. A human being has a body and a soul; he is born, grows up and dies; angels were complete at their creation and do not change.

The wonder and mystery of the Incarnation shows the

distinct difference between man and angels.

When the Son of God came into the world He took upon

Himself not the form of an angel but of a man.

In heaven the ascended Lord didn't set aside His human

nature. Christians are already now seated with Him in the

heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6).

Angels then are not only inferior in relation to Christ (Hebr. 1:4) but even in

relation to believers. Angels do not know the content of redemption. (1 Pet.

1:12) They do not know what it means experientially to have Jesus Christ give

His life for the salvation of sinners. They are not the adopted children of the

heavenly Father. In Jesus Christ we become the children of the heavenly

Father; the angels remain His servants (John 15:15 ) Believers are to be

crowned with glory and honor (Ps. 8:6), and share in Christ's exaltation which

exceeds the dignity of angels. And not the angels will judge us but we will

judge them. Paul makes this remarkable statement: "Do you not know that we

will judge angels?" (1 Cor. 6:3).

Angels are endowed with great intelligence (2 Sam. 14:20). They were given perfect intelligence at their creation.

They are constantly in the presence of God.

Since they are in the presence of God they have a far clearer view of and a deeper insight into the meaning of all what happens in our world than we do. Our knowledge is always limited. Angels are not independent; they function and intervene in the world only as God commands. Their amazing knowledge and power, like that of all creatures, are dependent and given from God.

They are capable of great feats of strength, whether it is in slaying over 180. 000 men in an evening, or setting an apostle free from prison (2 Kings 19:35; Acts 12).

When the Bible speaks about heaven and earth, it often refers to angels and man. Our Lord taught us to pray "Our Father in heaven . . . your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matt. 6:9f). The presence of angels encourages Christians to obey God. As the angels carry out God's will in heaven so should we do the same on earth. According to the Heidelberg Catechism, the third request in the Lord's Prayer means, "Help everyone carry out (his or her) work as willingly and faithfully as the angels in heaven." (q. a. 124)

The angels do more than sing praises to God. They also speak. The New International version translates Revelation 5:22 as "in a loud voice they (angels) sang." or "In a loud voice they said." But there is only one text in the Bible which speaks about the language of angels, "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels" (1 Cor. 13:1).

Thoughts

Names for evil spirits : demons, satan, Lucifer, the devil, Beelzebul, the

enemy, the tempter, prince of this world

Jesus also said that the devil has “his angels” (Matt. 25:41).

These are more commonly called demons, or evil or unclean spirits.

The chief demon is Satan (which means “the adversary”), also called

the devil (one who leads others astray), Beelzebul (lord of the house),

the evil one, the enemy, the tempter, or the prince of this world.

Ezekiel 28, Isaiah 14 – a description of the fall of Satan; Rev. 12:4 one

third of the angels followed Satan.

Jesus said : “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.(Luke 10:18)

Jesus authority over demons in the Gospels

The world (Jewish and pagan) had elaborate rituals and words

(Matt. 12:27; Mark 9:38) to cast demons, but Jesus simply told the

demons to leave, and they did. He used his own authority over

them.

He gave that authority to his disciples (Matt. 10:1; Luke 10:17), but

they were not always successful (Mark 9:18).

Jesus and Satan – part 1 of 3

Satan is the chief enemy of the gospel (Matt. 13:19), but

he cannot stop it.

Jesus defeated him in several ways:

Jesus resisted his temptations (Matt. 4:1-11),

liberated his captives (Luke 13:16) and

thwarted his desire (for Peter) through prayer (Luke

22:31-32).

Jesus and Satan – part 2

In a parable, Jesus described himself as tying up Satan

and taking his possessions (Matt. 12:29).

He spoke of seeing Satan fall (Luke 10:18).

Through his death on the cross, Jesus drove Satan out

(John 12:31-32).

Satan was condemned (John 16:11).

Jesus and Satan – part 3

Just as our salvation and God’s kingdom is already here,

but not yet in its fullness, so also is Satan’s defeat. He has

been defeated, but he still works against the gospel.

Jesus predicted that victory would be complete at the

end of the age (Matt. 13:39-42; 25:41). There is a time

appointed for the devil and his angels to be punished

(Matt. 8:29).

The kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan at war

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.(2 Corinthians 4:4-6 ESV)

The kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan at war

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my

kingdom were of this world, my servants would have

been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the

Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”(John 18:36

ESV)

The kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan at war

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which

you once walked, following the course of this world,

following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit

that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—

(Ephesians 2:1-2 ESV)

The kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan at war

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there

were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the

world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his

Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”(Revelation

11:15 ESV)

The kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan at war

The final result:

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there

were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the

world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his

Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”(Revelation

11:15 ESV)

The kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan at war

Continual struggle:

In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to

the point of shedding your blood.(Hebrews 12:4 ESV)

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain

from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against

your soul.(1 Peter 2:11 ESV)

The kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan at war

Continual struggle:

Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you

about our common salvation, I found it necessary to

write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was

once for all delivered to the saints.(Jude 1:3 ESV)

The kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan at war

Continual struggle:Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.(Philippians 1:27-30 ESV)

http://www.reformedreflections.ca/studies/5-reality-of-angels.html