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Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. (Hebrews 13:2 KJV)
From the bible, we know that God created angels. (Colossians 1:16-17) We know that angels interact with humans at the behest of God. (Luke 1:26-38) They deliver messages. (Daniel 9:20-23). They fight for territory. (Daniel 10:20). They guard humans (Matthew 18:10) and report to God on the actions of children, anyway (Matt. 18:1-14) and perhaps to individually minister to adult Christians also (Hebrews 1:14). Angels are divided into hierarchies and troops, including both good and evil angels, and special categories such as cherubim, seraphim, and the archangel. They are invisible. (2 Kings 6:17). They look like men sometimes, (Gen 18:1-2) and other times they look like glory (Matthew 28:2-4) and other times they look like metal and lightning (Daniel 10:5-6) and still there are other angels who look completely unusual and beyond description (Revelation 4:6-8). [For the record, with one debatable exception, angels are not biblically described as having any wings]
Surely, it is a blessing that there is a class of created being whom God uses for His glory and for our help. It is a blessing also to think that we may entertain one of them at some point in our lives!
But do not forget, there is another class of angels. There was a rebellion in heaven, and the highest angel, one created to guard the throne itself, tried to vault himself above God and was kicked out of heaven for it. His name is Lucifer, whose title is now the devil, adversary, satan. And even though a third of the multitudes of angels lived with God, and saw His glory and knew His heart, Lucifer was apparently so convincing that they sided with him against God, and so they were kicked out too. (Revelation 12:3-4,9)
Not everything supernatural is from God! If you entertain angels unawares, it may be a good angel sent to minister to you. Or it may be a fallen angel, sent by satan to thwart you, deceive you, or hinder you. ( also 1 Tim.4:1-3; 2 Cor.11:13-15) "And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve." (2 Corinthians 11:14-15)
If you are reading this before the rapture, Christian and non-believer, be aware that deceit comes in a guise wrapped in a beautiful package. Fallen angels would look just like the glorious angels, as stated above in the Corinthians verse. If you are a Christian, you should be praying daily to receive wisdom, and it will be given to you without reproach. You should be in the Word daily so that you will know the truth from a lie. If you are a non-believer reading this after the rapture, know that your odds of learning the truth have diminished but you can pray to Jesus to forgive you of your sins (if you are truly sorry for your bad acts and thoughts, that is) and He will forgive you. He will send the Holy Spirit to you to help you discern the truth from a lie. Without His help, you are at the mercy of an adversary who can and does 'appear to us unawares' and always for the purpose of destroying us!
NOT EVERYTHING SUPERNATURAL IS FROM GOD! "The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders," (2 Thessalonians 2:9). Angels might surround you unawares, but YOU should not be unaware of satan and his angels' counterfeiting abilities!
From the bible, we know that God created angels. (Colossians 1:16-17) We know that angels interact with humans at the behest of God. (Luke 1:26-38) They deliver messages. (Daniel 9:20-23). They fight for territory. (Daniel 10:20). They guard humans (Matthew 18:10) and report to God on the actions of children, anyway (Matt. 18:1-14) and perhaps to individually minister to adult Christians also (Hebrews 1:14). Angels are divided into hierarchies and troops, including both good and evil angels, and special categories such as cherubim, seraphim, and the archangel. They are invisible. (2 Kings 6:17). They look like men sometimes, (Gen 18:1-2) and other times they look like glory (Matthew 28:2-4) and other times they look like metal and lightning (Daniel 10:5-6) and still there are other angels who look completely unusual and beyond description (Revelation 4:6-8). [For the record, with one debatable exception, angels are not biblically described as having any wings]Surely, it is a blessing that there is a class of created being whom God uses for His glory and for our help. It is a blessing also to think that we may entertain one of them at some point in our lives!
But do not forget, there is another class of angels. There was a rebellion in heaven, and the highest angel, one created to guard the throne itself, tried to vault himself above God and was kicked out of heaven for it. His name is Lucifer, whose title is now the devil, adversary, satan. And even though a third of the multitudes of angels lived with God, and saw His glory and knew His heart, Lucifer was apparently so convincing that they sided with him against God, and so they were kicked out too. (Revelation 12:3-4,9)Not everything supernatural is from God! If you entertain angels unawares, it may be a good angel sent to minister to you. Or it may be a fallen angel, sent by satan to thwart you, deceive you, or hinder you. ( also 1 Tim.4:1-3; 2 Cor.11:13-15) "And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve." (2 Corinthians 11:14-15)
If you are reading this before the rapture, Christian and non-believer, be aware that deceit comes in a guise wrapped in a beautiful package. Fallen angels would look just like the glorious angels, as stated above in the Corinthians verse. If you are a Christian, you should be praying daily to receive wisdom, and it will be given to you without reproach. You should be in the Word daily so that you will know the truth from a lie. If you are a non-believer reading this after the rapture, know that your odds of learning the truth have diminished but you can pray to Jesus to forgive you of your sins (if you are truly sorry for your bad acts and thoughts, that is) and He will forgive you. He will send the Holy Spirit to you to help you discern the truth from a lie. Without His help, you are at the mercy of an adversary who can and does 'appear to us unawares' and always for the purpose of destroying us!
NOT EVERYTHING SUPERNATURAL IS FROM GOD! "The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders," (2 Thessalonians 2:9). Angels might surround you unawares, but YOU should not be unaware of satan and his angels' counterfeiting abilities!
Interesting information.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this. Amen...
ReplyDeleteI FOUND YOU WHILE SEARCHING FOR SCRIPTURS TO SHOW OUR HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH GROUP THAT DEMONS AND EVIL SPIRITS ARE NOTHING TO FOOL WITH. THEY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE FATHER GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT AND JESUS FINISHED WORK ON THE CROSS. THESE KIDS ARE LOST SHEEP AMONG WOLVES. THE HOLY SPIRIT LED ME TO YOUR SITE. THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS.
ReplyDeleteActually, the "Rapture" teaching isn't Biblical. Please note the teaching that Jesus gave about the "The Flood" in the day of Noah. It was the "Flood" that "Took" sinners away. Likewise, it will be the "coming" of Jesus that "Takes sinners away and the " Righteous" will be left alive with Jesus.
ReplyDeleteThere will be no "Secret" Rapture. Please teach Biblically my friend.
You should consider 1 Corinthian 15:52;1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Luke 17: 34-37; and Revelation 3:10. This is a highly debated topic due to interpretation, but it is biblically based.
DeleteHello Ray,
ReplyDeleteActually, I said nothing about a 'secret' rapture. There is no need to disparage by adding scare quotes.
The rapture is a doctrine taught by Paul for the first time in Thessalonians and confirmed to be a revealed mystery in 1 Cor 15:52. (A mystery is something that God had known and is now revealing it to his Prophets for the edification of the saints, in this case, Paul). The Lord is building His church, and when that number of members He already has in mind is reached, (Romans 11:25-26) He will call for us and we will go through the air bodily, the dead will come too, and so we shall always be with the Lord. This can be found in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 and Isaiah 26:20.
The notion that the Lord takes the sinners is seen in the Olivet Discourse, specifically in Matthew 24:36-41. The Olivet Discourse is a discourse in which Jesus explained the Last Days for Israel (not the church; Mt 24:2-4). At the end of the Tribulation He will "take" sinners and judge them, this is the Sheep and Goats judgment (http://www.gty.org/resources/bible-qna/BQ012513/what-is-the-judgment-of-the-sheep-and-the-goats) and cast them to where they are going, leaving the believers to enter the Millennium Kingdom on earth.
There will be a rapture. It's taught specifically and tacitly.
I agree it is important to teach biblically, my friend. To that end, Ray, when making assertions and comments, it would be helpful to actually use Bible verses. That way we can better understand where you're coming from.
So for Tue people that dont make it in the rapture but recieve jesus after or repent they will be left in the earth to meet with his comi g kingdom ? And the sinners will be removed ????
ReplyDeletePeople who repent and are saved during this time (Age of Grace) will go in the rapture. All of them. People who repent afterwards will remain on earth during the Tribulation. Most likely, they will be killed as martyrs as the antichrist hunts and kills all people who will not take the mark. (Rev 13:16-17, Rev 6:9-10). Some who repented will be alive at the end of the Tribulation and enter the Millennial Kingdom as mortals and live the rest of their lives naturally until they die of natural causes.
Deletemeant to say Matthew 24:15 - in regards to the abomination that causes desolation
DeleteCan anyone explain what the 4 horses in Revelation are for and what they mean?
ReplyDeleteHi Autumn,
DeleteThanks for your good questions. We look at parallels in Matthew 24 and Revelation 6. Here is John MacArthur
"Now go back to Matthew 24 and let's follow a little bit the sequence. Verse 6 and 7 then describes war, wars, rumors of wars, nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom. The second thing that's going to come is war. The third thing that's going to come, famine...famine. The fourth thing that's going to come in verse 7, earthquakes, which are representative of massive natural disasters. First peace, then war, then famine, then death through natural disaster."
"Now hold your finger there in Matthew 24 and go over to Revelation 6 and you see the same sequence. Here the first horse is a white horse, he represents, as we will see in a moment, peace. The second horse is a red horse, and he represents...what? War, he took peace from the earth and men slaughtered each other. The next horse is a black horse and he represents famine...the scales and the balance and the wheat and all of that, the barley, talking about famine conditions. And then the fourth seal and a pale green, or ashen horse, and he represents death, natural disasters, plagues that are also mentioned even earlier."
I'd encourage you to listen to his sermon A Jet Tour Through Revelation. It covers the Book in a totally understandable overview.
https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/1290/a-jet-tour-through-revelation