Aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!!!!!!!!!

Most followers of Yahweh and His Son, our Messiah, would concur that angelic beings exist. There is clear evidence in the Scriptures that this is so. Yet, the details are a bit sketchy at best. The interest seems to ebb and flow with whatever is of current interest. With the resurgence of spirit-ism and New Age philosophy angels became a hot topic and little figurines could be found at many Hallmark Stores and Christian bookstores. They are popular tree toppers at Christmas time and make their appearance in most nativity re-enactments. But what do we really know about them? Most would say, "I believe there are angels." but ask the question, "When did you last talk to one?" you will get either a look that says you must also talk to space aliens or just a blank stare. Just what can we glean from the Scriptures?

They are created beings, for John 1:3 tells us the "Word" created all things. They are called "sons of God" in Job 1:6, where these created beings came to give an account to God. They are called "stars" in Job 38:7 as they sang together at the time of creation. Some are angels of light for if Satan may disguise himself as one there must be angels of light (see 2 Cor 11:14). They hold different positions and have varying degrees of power (see Daniel 10). They are God's servants of judgement as in Gen 19:1 at Sodom and Gomorrah, 2 Sam 24:17 as God disciplines David, and throughout the book of Revelation. They are spirits but it is clear they have the ability to take on physical form.
Perhaps one of their main responsibilities is told to us in Hebrews 1:14 "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" They have been ministering for some time. Gen. 21:17 "And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is." 1 Kings 19:5 "And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat" where the angel ministers to Elijah. God's angel's also go before His people, Exodus 23:20 "Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared" (also see Ex 23:23, 32:34, 33:2). God's angels are personal.They speak to people. Zechariah is pretty much a conversation between Zechariah and an angel, "And the LORD answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words" (Zech 1:13). God sends an angel to help Abraham's servant find Isaac a wife (Gen 22:40). He stops the lions' mouths (Dan 6:22). God's angelic spirits are indeed ministering spirits in the Old Testament.

Their ministry does not stop there, however. In Luke 1:11-19 the angel, Gabriel, comes to Zacharias to tell of the conception and birth of his son, John the baptizer. Gabriel returns to visit Mary with the good news of Messiah's arrival through her (Luke 2:26-38). An angel also comes to Cornelius and tells him to send for Peter, "And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter" (Acts 11:13). Angels rescue Peter and John from Prison (Acts 5:19) and releases Peter (Acts 12). An angel comforts Paul as he is about to be ship wrecked (Acts 27:23). In Acts 8:26 we read that an angel speaks to Phillip and sends him to meet the Ethiopian. Angelic ministry is evident throughout the record of the early followers of Messiah. There are two other interesting passages to consider. "Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven" (Mt 18:10). It appears that God has a special assignment for His angels to watch over little children. The other comes comes from Luke 16:22, "And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom." It would appear that God's saints have angelic company as they pass from this life. from the early years to the end angels minister to the children of God. Angelic beings are there at the resurrection of the Lord to tell those at the tomb the amazing news, "He is not here for He is risen!" For me the most amazing passages are these: Matthew 4:11 "Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him." After fasting for forty days and being tempted by the Devil it is the angels who come to minister to the Son of God. Overcome by the agony in the garden we read, "And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him" (Luke 22:43). Angels, those ministering spirits, comfort and strengthen the very Son of God, our Messiah hours before He would undergo His torturous death.
 I wonder where that reality, that of the ministering spirits of light, has gone? I know, and believe that the Spirit of God is our Comforter and indwells those who believe. But, if angelic spirits ministered to Messiah in times of great distress are we exempt? If they were there for Peter, Phillip, John, and Cornelius could they be there for me?. I wonder if my "maturity" and education has left me jaded to the wonder and available comfort of the spirits of light? Does Hebrews 1:14 apply to me? Does it apply to you? Do we need an occasional "Aaaaahhhh" moment like the shepherds had at the angel's announcement of the arrival of Messiah? Do I need a refresher of the simple faith and innocence I once knew when I experienced the spirits of light. The ones that were with me when I feared and when I prayed. I am not talking about angel worship but it does seem that in God's Word there were men and women of God who were not afraid to converse with those angelic spirits of light.  Trapped in the material and logical may rob us of the spiritual and the supernatural. We need to be cautious, to "test the spirits" as John tells us, for there are principalities and powers and rulers of the darkness who also exist. But if we are to test the spirits does it not seem reasonable that there are good spirits out there as well? If the Lord sent one of His angelic messengers to visit me would I be too spiritually dull to know it?  Hebrews 13:2 "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels unaware." Maybe, we need to welcome the comfort our Lord knew in the garden. Maybe if we were more sensitive and aware we wouldn't be caught "unaware" when an angelic visitor comes to visit. Just wondering.

The Game Plan of the Spirits of Darkness or Embezzler at the Door

Yahweh gives life. This is what I believe. That life originates from Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, and life is sustained in Him. I know that this is not the only point of view. Other religions have a different take, as do Greek and Roman Mythologies. We could add the Egyptians, Babylonians, Persians and still just scratch the surface. The Eastern mystics have their faith, as do Native American traditions and all the tribes of South America and Africa. There are a plethora of faiths, past and present, that hold their own beliefs. I am not remotely qualified to speak to all of them, and many of the details of those I have studied have been lost in the dusty archives of my mind. So I do not come as an expert in religion or any type of scholar when it comes to all these nuances of faith. I can't even keep up with all the various flavors of Baptists in America today. However I have been around for over 62 years and have devoted about 44 of those to the study of the Hebrew Scriptures and writings preserved for my observation. I include Matthew though Revelation as part of the Hebrew Scriptures as they are profoundly Jewish, no offense intended to my Jewish brethren. I guess I should toss in some of the Apocryphal writings as well, as they have some interesting insights to the times of the Hebrew people.

I have come to be fully convinced that Yahweh is the giver of life. I have seen the miracle of life given and life restored on more occasions than I can list. I have also seen life taken, sometimes suddenly and sometimes painstakingly as a disease incrementally draws life from its victim. I have witnessed intangible forces intervene to rescue life. I have also witnessed the tragic process of life stolen by unseen powers. Yahweh, the One Creator of all life, determined to design the highly complex human body and the profoundly simple amoeba. He grows giant sequoias and yellowish green pond scum. The evidence of His life giving creative power surrounds us. It declares that He exists (See Psalm 19). We simply have to look to be aware of His handiwork. However, He also has created life that is harder to see. Life on, perhaps, a different plane of existence. Spirit beings of diverse powers that assist in protecting life and also are bent on taking life away. Scripture contains clues as to their existence with accounts of both of these spirit beings. They are found sprinkled throughout all of God's revelation to us. Visitations recorded from Geneses through Revelation.

I have come to know that life is frail and to be treasured and enjoyed. Life is often not lost all at once, but moment by moment while we are unaware. Carpe Diem is the admonition. Seize the day. But what does that mean in light of responsibilities and the potential unseen that can rob life when we are unaware? I do not intend for this to be a dissertation on demonology or an in depth look at the work of Satan. I honestly think we give him too much credit for the evil in the world and the struggles of life we often impose on ourselves. Satan is a real created being. So are his fallen angels or demons, or dark spirits. Paul is right in Ephesians 6:12; we do fight against principalities and powers and rulers of the darkness of this age. They do posses and oppress people. They are powerful, and Daniel 10 indicates they can even interfere with our receiving answers and direction from the Lord. They can also be used of God to keep us close to the Lord, as God did for Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:7. My focus today is on John 10:10. It is here that Yeshua gives us Satan's plan and the mission of darkness.

Speaking to His disciples Yeshua says, "The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy". This is one of the most revealing scriptures into the reality of darkness and its relationship to every living being on this planet. The place to begin is with the words Messiah uses to describe the darkness that afflicts or souls. "Thief" (κλέπτης) pronounced kleptes. The word means embezzler. The thief is not obvious. He doesn't take what we can readily see. He rarely comes to take our prized possession or the rare painting over the fireplace. No, he is too subtle for that. This embezzler comes to "rob" which is the same root word. The embezzler comes to embezzle. He seductively comes into a life and skims just a little so as not to be noticed. A good embezzler can be active for years before the owner is even aware that wealth has been taken. That is what the spirits of darkness do. They skim just a little of life off at a time. And they can make it look good. 2 Corinthians 11:14 tell us, "and do not marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light". The darkness hides well and takes a little at a time. Life given to greed or selfishness doesn't happen over night. A friendship that brings us to choose between our faith or their love. Compromise with morality begins with one stolen kiss or the brush of a hand. Adultery follows harmless flirtation. Even assault and murder are likely to begin with disappointment, and a little bit of life embezzled is where bitterness fills the void.

The Embezzler also "kills" (θύω) pronounced thuo with long vowels. The common use is to sacrifice. Death is brought through sacrifice. The normal use is of the quick and painless killing of an animal, but it can also be used in a more philosophic sense as the sacrifice of ideals or beliefs that lead away from truth. Individuals sacrifice time and family for the promotion or the little plaque to hang in their cubical. We sacrifice fellowship and Bible study for soccer and ballet and overtime. The embezzler skims a little more life off each day until family, friends, and relationships are gone and we are alone. He incrementally replaces faith with disillusionment as we observe people of faith fall and find that our "truth" is more about tradition than Biblical reality. Faith in the Giver of Life skimmed off the top, little by little, day by day. And the void is filled with whatever works. Drugs, sex, mysticism, a unending search of meaning where emptiness rules. Life embezzled through the sacrifice of self to the darkness that denies real life, while the Creator of Life awaits our return. The tragic reality is that sometimes the embezzler skims enough life so the victim of the unseen crime by the unseen darkness has nothing left but emptiness and despair. They may well surrender to the darkness and end the life Yahweh had blessed them with.

The embezzler also "destroys" (ἀπόλλυμι) pronounced apollumi, with long "u" and "i" vowels. The core of the word means to render useless. Life has been skimmed and leaves behind nothing. He has embezzled, sacrificed and now the overwhelming feeling of uselessness remains. Empty shells that once held life. It was hard to even see it coming, especially from the inside. Just a technical note all these words are aorist active subjunctive verbs. It means it is an ongoing activity that has happened with the consent and cooperation of the subject. The embezzler has been invited in and cooperated with. The life he embezzled has actually been given to him. Now the precious life given by the Creator of life has been slowly embezzled and the victim feels like they have been rendered useless. The sacrifices made have cost too much and what little life that is left is not worth holding onto. Either that or the embezzler is promoted and life is exchanged for the lust for power or possessions or just lust itself. "Let the world be damned, I am my own god, I make my own sacrifices, my value is in what I know, possess, or control. I am among the elite, the powerful, the walking dead." 

The dark spirits are active every day plying their trade, embezzling life. Among those who believe in Yahweh and Messiah, as well as those who do not. This is the real danger of the dark spirits. This is the darkness that lingers on the corners of our lives. The victims seldom see it coming. That is why the embezzler usually gets caught through an outside auditor. Someone who can look with an unbiased eye and see what has been so craftily taken. As followers of Messiah we need each other to be accountable to so the dark embezzler does not gain a foothold in our lives. This is the darkness overcome by the Light of the world. We will speak of Him and the spirits of light next time. In the mean time just remember, the embezzlers of life are closer than you think.        

 

         

Talking With the Spirits

It began when I was very young. I grew up in a 200 year old house in Pennsylvania. My room was in the back of the house with three outside walls. A huge black walnut tree loomed outside one window. The other side of the room had windows facing the open field while the headboard to my bed was pressed against the remaining windowless wall. The tree danced eerie shadows against the walls from the glow of a full moon. The shadows were unnerving at times for a young boy given to imagination. So I tried to pass off some of the oppressive shadows as just that. Imaginations. However, there were times when the shadows came without the moon and did not dance, but slowly moved across the windowed wall where the tree stood vigil just outside. There is no earthly reason for the shadows to be there. No light to cast the image. Just a clear sense of a presence that made me feel like some special form of gravity held me down and pressed me to my bed. I would watch, almost unable to breath. And then I would ask God to make them go away. I don't know why. I accepted there was a God from as far back as life could go. We were church people, so I had had some basics. There were times that the shadows were like reflected light but there was no mirror, no light to cause them. Like the dark ones, these shadows seemed to move as they willed. There was no gravity well with them. No euphoria either. They would just come quietly to visit. The dark ones never came when they were there. I told my mom of the presence and she said it was just a bad dream. But it wasn't a dream.

As I got a little older I simply accepted the reality of the spirit world. I had learned of the Holy Spirit at church and about Jesus and God and the Devil. Somewhere I knew there were other spirit beings as well. Some good. Some evil. I felt them in walks through pine trees or in the silence of a snow fall. I would lay on my back watching slivers of light drift down through the darkness and dissolve on my open hands. The spirits would somehow make me smile as if to say all would be right in the world. There were other times, crouched against a boathouse along the shores of Lake Erie, when the presence of evil was so close my lungs would not work. Waves turned brutal tossing foam across the sand and rocks almost to my feet. I cowered against the building as a darkness taunted me, telling me I was his and my life had no meaning. My life would not last. I asked the spirits of light to come but shivers came instead. And then he was gone. I walked home in the dark and never told anyone of this dark visitation until my college days.  

There was another night on the same beach,near the same boathouse. (I guess it would be helpful to mention I grew up less than a mile from Lake Erie and spent hours there in contemplation, more often alone than not. I would come in the late night hours when I should have been at home in bed.) This night I was contemplating the reality of a God I had learned of and of His Son Jesus. I knew the stories. I knew of His Christmas birth and the images of His death on a cross and the Easter Sunday resurrection thing. I didn't discount it, just never gave it that much thought. I had traveled the roads of Nietzsche and Descartes. I thought long about Plato's essay on "The Cave". Interesting literature for a 15 year old. But now I faced a question of belief. Was what I had learned in a Bible Study group true? Knowing I had sinned was no issue. The idea that I had value and purpose was another matter. That encounter with the darkness on this very beach had impressed upon me how little I mattered. How worthless my life would be. And to be honest my mother and many of my teachers had reinforced that thought. Then there was that lightness thing. Not the images from my bedroom, but suddenly I just knew it was true. God's love, Christ's sacrifice, His resurrection, life offered, purpose given. I believed. I struggled. The dark shadows still came across the windowed wall but they couldn't seem to stay. There were times I wondered if it really were true. The belief thing. Yet somehow I always knew it was true. God was present and life had value. I had value.

I had never talked about the dark and light spirits or the visitation of the darkness that night when I was told that life would be short and meaningless. I had a job. I had a girlfriend. I found a church to go to. The light and darkness still came on walks in the woods. They were with me in those moments of seclusion or lying in the snow. I told people of my encounter with God and Jesus and the reality of belief that swept over me on the beach that night, but never about the spirits. I learned that God's messengers, His angels, watched over me (Hebrews 1:14) and that there were forces of spiritual darkness (Ephesians 6:12). I believe I have encountered both for a very long time. But in the later 60's and early 70's these impressions might well have brought about questions of drug use, so I kept the spiritual visitations to myself. That is until I was at college. It was there I shared the accounts with my roommates. 

It was a dark autumn night in the dorm and my roommate's mom had an unexplained illness, so he asked us to pray. A number of our conversations between Ron, Ed and I happened after lights were out and we thought we were going to sleep. Then Ed shared his burden for his mom.  Ron suggested we get up and pray. So I lit one of those candles in a jar to give a little light and got ready to pray. Ed said he thought it was more of a spiritual thing than a physical sickness. That some dark spirit was near his mom. He didn't know why. He just felt that way. As we began to pray the room got noticeably colder. Ed pulled on his sweater and Ron and I reached for our blankets as Ed continued to pray. Then the room began to grow darker. In spite of the candle it just seemed oppressively dark. Ed began to stumble over his words. Ron began to pray with some of the same issues of mispronounced sounds. My mind went to the light shadows from my bedroom and that Hebrews verse and I silently asked the light to push back the darkness and for God's Spirit to allow us to pray. The room grew lighter and the coldness left. I shared my story of my encounters through the years and no one laughed. It is something I have seldom shared. People still struggle with the spirit world. It is written of as fiction or as a way to tap into some power beyond the normal, but it is seldom spoken of in real terms. By the way, two days later Ed's mom recovered. As mysteriously as the illness came, it departed.   

This post is merely the introduction to the one that comes next. There are spirits about us and we are naive to think they do not matter. 

See you next week.