“BORN IN BETHLEHEM”

ANGELS BRING GOOD NEWS

Luke 1:26-38

December 23, 2007 Pastor Harpold

ANGELS IN THE BIBLE

Angels are presented as a fact in Scripture. The Old Testament mentions angels 108 times, and the New Testament mentions them 165 times.

Angels were created by God. "Praise ye him, all his angels praise ye him, all his hosts.... Let them praise the name of the lord: for he commanded, and they were created" (Ps. 148:2, 5). They were created superior to men. The Scriptures ask, "What is man that You are mindful of him? ... You have made him a little lower than the angels" (Heb. 2:6-7).

Christ was made lower than angels in his incarnation but higher than the angels in his resurrection (Heb. 1:3-4, 9-10).

Angels do not reproduce, so there is a fixed number of angels. Jesus said of men and women, "For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven" (Matt. 22:30).

Angels are innumerable— "an innumerable company of angels " (Heb. 12:22).

Some angels are holy— "when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels" (Mark 8:38). Some angels are unholy. "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matt. 25:41).

Angels have specific functions.

Angels are called upon to worship God (Ps. 148:2-5). They are spiritual personalities; therefore they think and speak and have other personality traits. They are beings who minister or serve (Matt. 4:11). They are sent forth to minister to Christians. "But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" (Heb. 1:13-14).

Some angels experienced a fall from heaven. The explanation of unholy angels is that they are fallen angels. "For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto that judgment…" (2 Peter 2:4). Angels are creatures of spiritual sensitivity and responsibility.

Pride is the prime sin of the prince of evil angels. "How are you fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will also sit on the mount of the congregation, on the farthest sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High" (Isaiah 14:12-14).

Rebellion to the point of hostility is the basis for expulsion of the angels from heaven (Rev. 12:7-9).

What is the fate of fallen angels? They fell from the life of heaven— "the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode" (Jude 6a).

They fell from the liberty of heaven— "he has reserved in everlasting chains " (Jude 6b). They fell from the light of heaven— "under darkness for the judgment of the great day " (Jude 6c).

God created angels to be good, but some of them—scholars believe about one-third—joined Lucifer's rebellion and are now fallen and evil. They have received eternal punishment. Jude teaches us that if even the angels of heaven cannot get away with pride and rebellion without an accounting punishment, neither can people inside or outside the church.

Angels play a prominent part in the Christmas story.

In the Old Testament, angels often spoke the message of God to the prophets, but I did not research to determine if any of the prophecies concerning the Messiah were given by angels. Angels were at least involved as an angel placed a coal on Isaiah’s lips in Isaiah 6.

What we have are the messages of the angels in the Gospels about the birth of Jesus. Angels announced the coming birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:11-20). The first concerns the birth of John the Baptist – important because he was to be the forerunner – the one to announce the coming of the Messiah, the one who would prepare the way.

Then an angel announced to Mary that she would bring forth the Messiah (Luke 1:26-38). The angel said he would be the “Son of the highest”. The announcement said that His kingdom will have no end. Jesus reigns in the lives of nearly two billion persons today.

An angel announced the birth of the Messiah to Joseph in a dream (Matthew 1:19-21). To Joseph the angel said Jesus would save His people from their sins. There is tremendous meaning in that.

Angels announced the birth of Jesus to the Shepherds in the field (Luke 2:8-14). Once again the Angels announced that there was born in Bethlehem “a Savior, who is Christ the Lord”.

Angels announced the future return of Jesus (Acts 1:10-11). This is Good News. Jesus will return and believers will be with Jesus for all of eternity.

We could go on for the rest of the day telling about the future with Jesus. Today we want to remember that the One whose birth we celebrate came to save us from our sin including the consequences. We are forgiven, cleansed, made new creatures and given a future home in heaven.

May this be your good news today.