Tag: angel

When Angels with Answers are Delayed

Daniel 10-12

Devotion by John Tullis (Ohio)

The final chapters of Daniel give us a peek into the future.  It also gives us a look at how things exist in the spiritual realm.  In Daniel chapter 10, Daniel was given a great vision about the future – a future filled with great conflict.  The vision was so terrible that Daniel refused to eat (choice foods) or bathe (“use lotions”) for a full three weeks!  As Daniel pondered the meaning of the vision,  God was already at work “behind the scenes” (within the spiritual realms). 

After a few weeks of giving his whole devotion and confusion to God, Daniel gazed across the Tigris River and saw a man clothed in linen, with a fine belt of gold around his waist (Daniel 10:4-5).  Daniel quickly realized this was no ordinary man – this was a man who looked like beryl (a green gemstone) with a face like lightning.  His eyes were like flames and his arms and legs beamed like bronze.  His voice was very loud (Dan. 10:5-6).  Daniel, recognizing this man as an angel sent from God was overcome with fear and fainted!  How would you react if you saw an actual angel?

The angel was not there to frighten Daniel, but to encourage him.  The angel touched Daniel and woke him up with gentle words of encouragement and affirmation.  The angel informed Daniel that he had been sent to him by God – and a reminder that God greatly loved him.  God was pleased that Daniel was a man who devoted his heart to understanding.  He was a man who humbled himself before God (Daniel 12:11-12).  As a result, God sent this angel to give Daniel a special message – and a gift of encouragement.

Many times we pray to God and wonder if He will answer us.  Sometimes, we can feel so small that we wonder if God even hears our prayers.  Daniel must have felt that way as he struggled for three weeks without choice food and wine.  Where was God?  Would God give him understanding of the terrible vision?  We often struggle when it seems that God has not heard or answered our prayers.

But the angel allowed us to take a “sneak peak behind the scenes”.  From the moment Daniel began to pray – on the very first day of prayer – God had heard him and sent out the angel on this important mission to meet with Daniel.  Why the delay?  The Angel explains that as he went forth from God, he was attacked and battled with the “prince of the kingdom of Persia” (Dan. 10:13).  This spiritual battle between the angel and demonic wickedness lasted for 21 days and was only broken by the appearance of the arch-angel Michael (Daniel 10:12-14).  What a battle! 

In the book of Ephesians, Paul encourages us to “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might” and to equip ourselves with the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-11).  By preparing for spiritual “battle” we have the advantage to defeat wickedness.  Paul explains that “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities…” (like the prince over Persia who fought against the angel) “…against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). 

Believe it or not, there actually is an unseen, spiritual world.  It is the heavenly world of our God and all spiritual forces – good and evil.  Just like Daniel, we often seek God for comfort, guidance, and an answer to our prayers.  Sometimes, we need to keep praying.  And keep hanging in there – because the battle can be long.  Through our faithfulness and endurance, God can ultimately demonstrate His grace and truth.  Put on the full armor and stand firm!

Questions for Discussion:

  1. Why do you think God allowed the angel to be detained by the spirit over Persia?
  2. We cannot see the spiritual realm, but we are impacted by what goes on there.  How can our full armor of God make an impact in the “heavenly places”?
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Peter Saved!

Old Testament: Leviticus 16 & 17

Poetry: Psalm 39

New Testament: Acts 12

You know that feeling when things are going so well that you question if you’re dreaming? Maybe you ask someone nearby to pinch you or maybe you pinch yourself. Either way, this is the feeling I imagine Peter had the night before Herod was going to bring Peter to trial. I’d encourage you to listen to Acts 12. As you listen, visualize what this could have looked like. Go ahead and use a little bit of imagination, as we’re not given pictures to accompany the stories in the Bible. If I’m being honest, I sometimes forget that the Bible is a literary text, but this chapter allows me to pick out some details and things that make me consider the (historical) story, and smile.

I’ll mention a couple parts that I really like about this chapter, but other parts might jump out at you.

v. 7 – Peter must’ve been a heavy sleeper! First the angel appeared, with a light. That didn’t wake Peter, so the angel struck (or smote) him. A gentle, “Hey Peter, time to wake up” with a rub on the shoulder didn’t cut it…

v. 9 – Peter didn’t know what was happening. He thought it was a vision. I like how he follows the angel’s instructions though. I think this is a good example for us to follow. Even when we may be a little confused about what God wants us to do, we should still obey and follow through with whatever it is.

v. 11 – “Now I know without a doubt”. I like how confident Peter is at this point. Before he thought it could be a vision. Now he knows that this is real life, and this is all part of God’s plan.

v.14-16 – I understand Rhoda was excited, but it makes me giggle how she didn’t even open the door for Peter. She was so excited that Peter had to keep knocking! 🙂

I like this chapter a lot. I will be working at being confident while following God’s plan for me and I will work at being as excited as Rhoda about what God is doing in my (and others’) lives!

-Moriah Railton

(reposted from SeekGrowLove – May 15, 2021)

Reflection Questions

  1. What do we learn about the early church in Acts 12? In what ways would you like your church to follow the example of the early church more?
  2. What do we learn about Peter in Acts 12? How do you think he could have been sleeping (chained between two guards) on the night before he would be brought to trial before Herod who had recently had James killed.
  3. What do we learn about Herod in Acts 12? What was the reason for his death? When have you been guilty of the same attitude?
  4. What do we learn about God in Acts 12 – remembering how Peter was saved and He handled Herod…but also, remembering that James was not saved. What is your response to God when He saves and when He crushes the wicked and when He doesn’t save the righteous?
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The Mystery

Revelation 10

Friday, November 25, 2022

After the sixth trumpet we have a break when John is prepared for what comes next, which mirrors the break after the sixth seal when the 144,000 were sealed. We are reminded that all through this vision John has been writing what he sees, as Jesus told him to do back in 1:19 (10:4). I wonder if he started the vision in front of a blank scroll and finished with a completed work. Or was the writing part of his vision, and he needed to rewrite it all afterward? And I wonder, again, how often what he wrote came to him as part of the vision and how often his words are his efforts to convey what he experienced. For example, did John make the distinction of a “strong angel” himself, based on experience in this vision looking at different angels?

It wasn’t pointed out at the time, but in chapter 5 it was a “strong angel” that proclaimed the question about whether anyone could open the seals of the book in God’s hand. And now a “strong angel” holds the small book John will eat. Perhaps this is setting up transitions in the vision for us, as the book John eats seems to establish his personal involvement in the next part of the vision. (There is one more “strong angel” reference, in 18:21, punctuating and concluding the section on Babylon.)

When our strong angel in chapter 10 cries out like a lion roars, seven peals of thunder respond – these may refer to the peals of thunder that come from God’s throne (4:5). But John is told by a voice from heaven not to write down what the thunders said. Among all the details in Revelation this lack of information can be one of the most interesting things for us. What secret is left out here? I have sometimes suggested it might have been a self-unfulfilling prophecy (my own phrase), something we can’t be allowed to know because knowing it in advance would make it awkward for it to still take place. Like “tomorrow [fill in the blank date] king [fill in the blank name] falls.” In the context it is hard to expect a minor statement – the strong angel is just about to swear an oath by God that the mystery of God is on the verge of being completed.

The same voice from heaven tells John to get the book and eat it, which he does, but first he is warned by the strong angel that it will be sweet in his mouth but bitter in his stomach. This is interesting, because in Ezekiel 2:8–3:3 we get a similar story of eating a scroll that tastes sweet but there is no mention of bitterness. This is more like comments in Jeremiah 15:16-17 about him eating God’s words and finding them a joy and delight, but then being filled with indignation. What John ate was easy to take in but would result in him needing to “prophesy again concerning many people and nations and tongues and kings.” The phrase “prophesy again” is sometimes taken to mean that the next part of the vision will revisit ground, duplicating some parts of the story to get at new aspects of it. And not all of that prophecy would be a joy and a delight. But God will be revealing what He recognizes needs to be shown.

It may be worth recalling that John is in exile when he sees this vision. He will emerge from it to send his letters, his warnings and encouragements and predictions, and continue in exile. We don’t really know how bringing more attention to himself this way during a time of persecution affected his situation. Maybe not positively. But John was God’s worker and working for God isn’t always pleasant for the one working, at the time. But I trust that John absolutely knew the job was worth it, and I hope that he found the experience of his vision encouraging.

Lord, forgive me the foolishness I sometimes experience of wanting to know what you aren’t interested in telling me, and showing too little interest in what you have made plain for me. You have shown me things that are good, help me to act on that awareness. You have shown me things that are not good, help me to act on that awareness as well. If at times I have found your words bitter in my stomach I have little right to claim I have been cheated, for they were sweet on my tongue. And I acknowledge you have given me far more than I ever can give you. Help me to serve you as I ought to, even if I feel I am in the valley of the shadow of death. Your light can never be overcome. I will trust in you. Amen.

-Daniel Smead

Reflection Questions

  1. What are your thoughts and feelings when you read verse 7, “But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”
  2. What words of God might be sweet in the mouth, but sour in the stomach?
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Included:Luke 2-3

 

 

May 14, 2017

The feeling of exclusion is one of the worst feelings I have ever felt. It’s the classic “I get picked last at recess” feeling. It is also the feeling we get when we find out someone that we normally do stuff with is doing something without us, and they post it on social media. Feeling excluded can often trigger us to feel unwanted or worthless, but I am here to tell you that is not the case.

May I turn your attention to Luke 2:30-32 and Luke 3:6-9? These verses talk about the salvation of God. One interesting fact about the salvation of God is what is said in verse 32 “A light of revelation to the Gentiles,”. This phrase is talking about how Jesus will reach out in his ministry and include the Gentile people in salvation. This concept is hinted upon in verse 10 as well when the angel that scared the shepherds says, “I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all people”. The word “all” in verse ten and the phrase, “Presence of all peoples” leads me to believe that everyone will be included, not just the “people of God” at that time who were the Jews. Also, this idea is found in Luke 3:6 when it says “all flesh” which includes the Gentile, or non-jew, in salvation.

How can this be, that all people, can now be included in salvation? Well, I think that John the Baptist explains this very well in the next chapter. In Luke 3:7 John starts to rebuke those who are coming to be baptized only for the sake of looking good in front of others and not actually because they care about being saved. He continues and spurs them to change by telling them to bear fruit “worthy of repentance”. Not claiming that they are a part of the Jewish faith, that no longer matters because everyone is included now as long as they bear fruit. He also tells them the consequence of not bearing fruit, which is being chopped down and throw into the fire.

How can we accept the offer and become included in the salvation that Jesus brings? We change our lives and actions to reflect that of Jesus’. Since Jesus was the Light to the Gentiles, it no longer matters if you were a Jew by heritage to be a part of the people of God. Sometimes I feel that we think the same way the Jews did, “Well, I have the title of Christian so that must make me one, right?” According to John the Baptist in these verses, it does not. But those who bear good fruit, of the spirit of God, will not be thrown into the fire and will have salvation. So the next time you’re feeling excluded remember that Jesus wants you to be included in the people of God.

-Jesse Allen

Fear NOT

Luke 1

Luke_1_30_37_praise_image_scripture_image, with_God_nothing_is_impossible

Saturday, May 13

What are some fears that impact you? Spiders? Snakes? Heights? Public speaking? We have many fears that may consume us. Some of these fears protect us physically, other fears may protect us socially. We should take time to evaluate our fears and see if it is something that is actually a danger or just a perceived danger. One of my daughters is afraid of crickets…is the cricket that makes her scream really going to do her any harm? No, however the snake she found in the yard as a toddler could have been poisonous and a real danger (Thankfully it was not). Sometimes it can be difficult to tell the difference in these fears. In the moment, the fear is powerful regardless of actual danger levels.

 

In Luke 1 we find fear mentioned when Zacharias (Zechariah) encounters the angel Gabriel and again when he appears to Mary. It says in verse twelve that Zacharias was “troubled when he saw the angel, and fear gripped him.” It says Mary “was very perplexed … and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was.” I can only imagine what it would have been like for either of these individuals, to be in the presence of “one who stands in the presence of God and {has} been sent to speak to you.” That would be quite the intimidating situation. This would, by far, rival the fears we face on a daily basis.

 

I am drawn in by Gabriel’s response to both Mary and Zacharias. He says to them, “Do not be afraid …” It is obvious from his statements that he is there to be God’s messenger and that these messages are meant for the good of God’s people, yet there is still fear instilled when he appears. Gabriel had to deal with this fear before he continued to share God’s Good News. We must learn to deal with the fears in our hearts before we can effectively share the gospel message with those around us. God tells us, “Do NOT fear!” He is with us, He has given us hope, He has placed a message in our hearts and in our mouths. We MUST share that message and FEAR NOT!!!

-Bill Dunn

(Photo Credit: Photo by Eric Valentine – http://praisephotography.com/2010/12/19/overwhelmed-with-joy/)