The Strand Study Bible

ISAIAH ISAIAH Cherubims are two to four-winged creatures whose job is to guard the work of God : the Garden of Eden (Gen 3:24), the mercy seat (Heb 9:5), and the work of Christ (Ezk 1:5-15 & 10:1-22). Interestingly enough, it was a group of the Cherubims (whose job it is to guard the work of God), not Seraphims (whose job it is to guard the holiness of God ), who rebelled against God and fell. THE ADAGE IS TRUE: Our service for God is never as important as our reverence for God (Lk 10:38-42) In other words, time with God is more important than time for God. Daily devotions are far more important than once a week services in which we sing, fellowship with believers, give, teach and serve. Angels are created spirit-beings who possess great power, intelligence, and ability (Ezk 28:14-15). Angels, however, are not omnipotent, omniscient, or omnipresent. They are limited creatures with free will (Isa 14:12-17, Jude 6 and Rev 12:3-4). They are also immortal beings (meaning they can never die - Lk 20:36). They have angelic bodies that are masculine in gender; yet, they cannot reproduce after their kind. Their existence is mentioned in at least thirty-four books of the Bible: Gen 19:1, Lev 17:7, Deut 32:17, II Sam 24:1, I Chro 21:1, II Chro 11:15, Job 4:18, Psa 8:5, Isa 14:12-17, Ezk 28:11-19, Dan 8:16, Zech 3:1, Mt 4:16, Mk 1:13, Lk 2:15, Jn 1:51, Acts 7:53, Rom 8:38, I Cor 4:9, II Cor 2:11, Gal 3:19, Eph 6:11, Colo 2:18, I Thess 2:18, II Thess 1:7, I Tim 3:16, II Tim 2:26, Heb 1:4, Jms 4:7, I Pet 1:12, II Pet 2:4, I Jn 2:13, Jude 6 and Rev 3:5. According to the Bible, there are three angels, which were created greater than all the other angels: 1. Lucifer (Isa 14:12-15) 2. Michael the archangel (Dan 10:13,21 & 12:1, Jude 9 and Rev 12:7) 3. Gabriel (Dan 8:16 & 9:21 and Lk 1:19,26) Of the three angels, however, Lucifer was anointed the greatest ( Ezk 28:14 ). NOTE – Angels were created to serve the interests of God ( Heb 1:14 ). How long ago they were created is anyone’s guess. However, it is not unreasonable to think that angels preceded us by perhaps millions, if not billions, or even trillions, quadrillions, etc. of years ago. Only God knows what the universe was like in eternity past. Our limited knowledge of the past makes us unqualified to know anything outside of our own 6,000-year history here on earth. What we do know, according to Ezekiel 28:11-15, is that the angels visited this earth long before man did. It was during one of their stays that Lucifer and a third of the angels decided to rebel. As a result, earth experienced an upheaval ( Gen 1:2 a,b,c,d ), causing chaos to occur not only on earth, but also throughout the entire universe. Ever since the anarchy eons ago, the remaining angels that did not rebel have been waiting for their chaotic universe to be restored back to order ( Gen 2:17 b , II Chro 5:8 , I Pet 1:12 b and Rev 12:12 ). That is why angels are so interested in the affairs of men and why, after the fall of man, they were more active on earth during the time of Christ than at any other time in human history. For example: 1054 * Angels were prepared to defend Christ from harm in Gethsemane (which, by the way, proves that the angels had no idea what redemption was all about, for they were actually willing to stop the process God was going to use to get Jesus to Calvary - Mt 26:53) * Angels rolled away the stone from the tomb and announced Christ’s resurrection (Mt 28:1-6) Although angels do not understand salvation ( Mt 26:53 and Heb 2:16 ), the reason angels were so active on earth during the time of Christ is because they knew that whatever their Creator had in mind when He came to earth as a man, it would eventually lead to their universe becoming orderly again, and for that they were willing to assist Him in whatever He needed to do. God’s plan to save the universe would start with the very planet where free-willed creatures had first sinned and destroyed everything. It would start with earth. Earth, however, would have to be “remade” in order to house its second inhabitants –man. God was good to create man, for He gave him an opportunity as a free-willed agent to “save the universe” that Satan and a third of the angels had cursed due to their sin and rebellion. However, when man fell in the Garden, God filled the gap by stepping out of eternity and into time to provide mankind with free salvation… at His own expense. The creation of a second creation with free-will (man) was a win-win situation, for not only would the rest of God’s creation experience restored order within their disrupted universe, but man would be provided total immunity… at God’s own expense. Sadly, not everyone within mankind wants the redemption that God provided ( Mt 20:16 & 22:14 ). According to Hebrews 1:14, angels are going to serve redeemed humans for all eternity future. They will want to, out of gratitude for saving their universe. No man, no Messiah/Savior. No Messiah/Savior, no salvaging of the universe. Simply put, angels owe us and are willing to show us their appreciation for our part by serving us gladly throughout all eternity future. Little did man know but that his creation (and eventual atonement) would bring about order and stability back to a universe that had once been wrecked by Lucifer and his demons. Contrary to what Satan would have you to think, humans were not created by God to serve as some kind of guinea pigs. God didn’t create the human race just to get back at Satan. God created the human race for one reason – To assist Him in salvaging the universe that Lucifer had disrupted ( Gen 2:17 b and Jere 9:2 ). Man was not created to be a servant of God, but rather a co-laborer in the salvaging of the universe. God did not create Adam because He needed more help. He had legions of angels to serve Him. Don’t allow Satan to beguile you, as he did Eve, and make you think you’re one of God’s lesser creations and thus worthless. Don’t let him fool you into thinking God is not good and salvation is not free and steal from you your opportunity to be the blessing God intended you to be. If you are not saved, get saved! If you are already saved but out of your race, get back into your race and make the reason you exist equal to the reason you were created. * Angels predicted Christ’s birth (Lk 1:26-33) * Angels announced Christ’s birth (Lk 2:13) * Angels protected Christ as a child (Mt 2:13) * Angels strengthened Christ after His temptation (Mt 4:11) * Angels strengthened Christ in Gethsemane (Lk 22:43)