Angels are interesting creations. They are immortal but can take on human characteristics. When they are seen by people, Scripture always describes them as men. Even though angels are always masculine, artists and poets have corrupted them to be cute little babies with pudgy cheeks and a sweet smile or females. In both Hebrew (mal’ak) and Greek (aggelos), the words are masculine nouns and mean messenger. Angels also have emotions.

For instance, Lucifer’s fall was caused by his pride; and when Jesus was crucified, the angels were ready to fight for Him if He had asked them. They also can feel joy. They rejoice over God’s creation. That’s seen in the book of Job when God asked Job,

“Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof: When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” (Job 38:4-7).

“Morning stars” and “sons of God” are terms for angels. We don’t know exactly when angels were created, but we know that they existed when God laid the foundations of the earth.

When Jesus was born, the angels rejoiced. Their joy was shown to the shepherds who were watching their flocks in the fields around Bethlehem.

“And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:9-11).

Can you imagine sitting quietly in a field watching over your sheep, the stars are twinkling in a dark sky, when suddenly the peace and quiet is interrupted by the appearance of an angel? No wonder those poor shepherds were afraid! What happened next would be even more awe-inspiring.

“Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:13-14).

Not just one angel, but a multitude praising God appeared suddenly. They didn’t wander into view but appeared from another dimension. What a beautiful sight and sound that heavenly praise must have been. The angel directed those shepherds to go and find Jesus lying in a manger. They followed the angel’s instructions; and other than Joseph and Mary, they were the first to lay eyes on the Lamb of God.

Shepherds weren’t the most respected of people, but they did tenderly care for their sheep. Jesus identified Himself as the Good Shepherd who seeks lost sheep and brings them to safety. Jesus always used descriptive stories in simple terms that were easily understood by the people listening. He told a story of a shepherd who had one hundred sheep, but one wandered off. The shepherd cared for his sheep and left the ninety-nine to go in search of the one that was lost.

“And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost” (Luke 15:5-6).

The Good Shepherd rejoices when a lost sinner repents. After all, He shed His blood for the redemption of lost souls. Jesus is our Good Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep. When a person comes to Him for salvation, every Christian should be filled with joy and rejoice! Who else rejoices?

“Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth” (Luke 15:10).

If you want to bring joy to the angels in Heaven, go out and witness to the people around you who don’t know Jesus. When they repent and accept Jesus for salvation, the angels will rejoice.

Isaiah was given a vision of the Throne of God, and what he saw was strange but beautiful. He saw the Throne, but he also saw seraphim around it.

“Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke” (Isaiah 6:2-4).

What a beautiful sound it must have been… “Qadowsh, quadowsh, quadowsh, Yehovah tsaba.”

The Apostle John also was given a look at the Throne of God when he was given the Revelation. First, Jesus dictated letters to seven congregations, and those letters describe the Church age. After the last letter, John saw a door open up in heaven, and he heard a voice like a trumpet telling him to “…Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter” (Revelation 4:1b).

John experienced the Rapture, then describes the things he saw after that. It must have been hard to put what he saw into words but, from his description, we know it will be amazing when we all get Raptured. What John saw was similar to what Isaiah saw.

“And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come” (Revelation 4:8).

A difference between Isaiah’s vision and what John saw was that John also saw 24 elders. Since what John saw was after the Rapture, the 24 elders represent Raptured Christians. After the Rapture, we will be there around the throne and will join in saying “hagios, hagios, hagios kyrios theos pantokrator“!

Why not join the angels in praising our Lord today? The Rapture will happen very soon; but the angels are praising Him now, and so should we.

John saw even more of the worship in Heaven. “And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing” (Revelation 5:11-12).

Oh, what a sight and what a sound! Multitudes of angels, the beasts, and the elders all praising Christ…the Lamb that was slain for our redemption. Worthy is the Lamb, and holy is His name!

“And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever” (Revelation 5:13-14).

Amen, amen, amen! I can’t wait to be a part of that glorious scene.

While Christians are worshipping our Lord, the people left on earth who didn’t accept Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection for their salvation will be facing the Great Tribulation.

Brothers and sisters, don’t delay. Get busy and witness to your lost family, friends, and neighbors before it’s too late. The signs of the times are evidence that time is quickly running out. As God’s wrath is poured out upon the Beast, the Whore of Babylon, and all who have rejected Christ, their wailing and gnashing of teeth will fill the earth. Don’t be one of those who have chosen to reject Christ because you refuse to turn from your lusts. If you reject Christ, you will be one who sees the horrors of the Tribulation.

You cannot plead ignorance because God has revealed the future in Scripture, and I’m sure someone has tried to talk to you about salvation through Jesus. The earth will be filled with sorrow and weeping, but there is joy in heaven. The joy isn’t because men have chosen to reject Christ’s sacrifice, but rather it’s because the evil of Satan has been defeated.

“And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: for true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand” (Revelation 19:1-2).

When the enemy is defeated, there will be much rejoicing in Heaven.

“And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia; for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready” (Revelation 19:6-7).

That’s reason to rejoice. Both angels and Christians have much to rejoice over. Our life on earth is fleeting, and the many pursuits we think are so important now won’t be remembered as we stand before His throne and cast our crowns at His feet. Only the things done for Him will bring eternal joy, and we will sing His praises with the angels.

Our life today is filled with the struggle of trying to overcome sin and live for Jesus. Every Christian needs to fight in that spiritual fight. Put on the armor of God and don’t take it off. Get into the battle and fight the spiritual fight. There are many lost souls who need to find salvation before it’s too late. The angels rejoice over each sinner who comes to salvation; and when Christ calls all Christians Home, we will no longer have to imagine what the sound of angels rejoicing is like. We will be there, and we will lend our voices to the worship too.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

www.straitandnarrowministry.com

ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

Ron and Nathele Graham’s previous commentaries archived at https://www.raptureready.com/featured/graham/graham.html

All original scripture is “theopneustos” – God breathed.

If you’d like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.

I’ve heard it said that there’s no better gift a father can give his children than loving their mother. That’s a wonderful sentiment, and there’s truth in it. There’s a better gift…first love God and pass that love on to your children. When men love God, they desire to please Him. A man of God takes responsibility. Many men today, both young and old, don’t understand that God gave them a great responsibility. They are to be leaders, breadwinners, husbands, and fathers. How do I know? The Bible tells me so.

The example begins in Genesis. God created everything in six days, and Adam was created on that day. The first commandment of God was given to Adam for his protection, and it was Adam’s responsibility to be sure that command was obeyed.

“And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17).

Unfortunately, that command would be violated.

God knew Adam needed a companion and showed Adam that he needed a “help meet.”

“And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him” (Genesis 2:18).

The companion for Adam would need to be special, and Adam needed to understand that there was no helper for him among the animals. God caused all of the birds and animals to go before Adam.

“And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him” (Genesis 2:20).

We may enjoy our pets, but they can never fill the love, companionship, and joy of a Godly husband and wife. God put Adam into a sleep and took the woman from his side. When Adam beheld her, he was in awe.

“And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Genesis 2:23-24).

There you have it. The basis of marriage: a man, a woman, and faithful love for each other.

When God’s ways are honored, life is better. Paradise was lost because God’s truth wasn’t respected. God told Adam that he wasn’t to eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which meant Adam had the responsibility to be sure Eve understood God’s command. Unfortunately, Eve listened to the serpent’s lies, rejected God’s truth, and ate the forbidden fruit.

“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat” (Genesis 3:6).

God entrusted His command to Adam and expected him to uphold it. Instead, when Eve was beguiled by Satanic lies, Adam listened to her rather than God. Lust will always bring about trouble if you don’t allow God’s word to guide your choices. Disobedience brought temporary enjoyment, but eternal pain. God wasn’t surprised by the disobedience, but He had made it clear to Adam that eating the forbidden fruit would bring death. Adam had to face the result of his sin. That’s a high price to pay for a temporary pleasure, but God had been clear about the wages of sin.

After Adam and Eve ate, their innocence was gone and they hid. You cannot hide from God. He knows every sin you’ve committed, and you must take responsibility for your actions. Although Eve was deceived, God held Adam responsible. He called to Adam, not Eve.

“And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?” (Genesis 3:9).

God knew where he was and what had happened, but Adam had to face the sin. Since then, there’ve been generations of men who don’t stand firm upon God’s word and women who compromise. Still, there have been strong men and women who honor God in spite of challenges. We need more men today who honor God above the lust of the flesh. Many men treat God’s word with disrespect, and God holds them responsible for not being the shepherds of His word. Don’t get me wrong. Eve had her share of the blame and faced death just like Adam, but it was Adam whom God had created first and given the responsibility to be sure his wife understood.

After the fall, Adam and Eve had children. Those children, grandchildren, and so on have gone on to make a practice of sin. We all sin, so we cannot point fingers at others and look down upon them. Through the ages, though, there have been men who understood their calling from God and have stood firmly upon His word. Where are those men today? Where are the men who study God’s word and instill His truth into their wives and children?

Even though human standards accept sin, God’s standards have never changed. Instead of saying no to a compromised family relationship, men are willing to turn away from responsibility and allow their wives or girlfriends to rule the roost. Many women have set low standards, and many men willingly live down to those levels. “Marriage? Let’s just live together.” I know many women who expect nothing of a man, and he stoops to her low standards. “Don’t worry about working and paying the bills”, she says. “I’ll earn the living, raise the kids, and I don’t expect anything from you. I’ll lead the family spiritually, so you don’t have to attend worship or read the Bible.”

Eve’s legacy lives on. Scripture teaches a better way.

“Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression” (1 Timothy 2:11-13).

Paul wrote through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and from this we understand that God still has an order of authority. God definitely uses women, but Adam was given the responsibility of keeping God’s command. Men today still have that responsibility.

Are you a Christian woman? Then don’t compromise. Remember that if you let a man into your life who is less than a God-fearing man, you’re allowing your children to be influenced by sin. Just as Eve was beguiled by the Serpent who represented the forbidden fruit as something to be desired, you too can be beguiled by the lust of the flesh. Christians cannot control the way the world behaves, but we can control the way we behave. If you choose a man who won’t get a job to support his family, sees nothing wrong with having extramarital affairs, and has no love of the Lord, then your children will suffer. Your sons will use him as an example of a man, and grow to be as irresponsible as he is. His example to your daughters will be a low standard for a husband. The example you should set for your children is God’s.

There are still men today who honor God and aren’t ashamed to follow Him. They use God’s example as the standard by which to live. Satan is chipping away at moral standards today, but the battle began long ago. Paul wrote much about the Spiritual battle. He encouraged men and women to walk close to God.

“Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour” (Ephesians 5:1-2).

Christ gave the example of love, and needs to be first in the life of everyone who claims to be a Christian.

Marriage was established in Eden and is an example of Christ’s love for His followers. He willingly sacrificed Himself for His Bride, and that is the example of a man’s love for his bride.

“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word” (Ephesians 5:25-26).

I can tell you from experience that when a man loves his wife in this way, she is blessed beyond measure. My husband was such a man. He held God’s word as authority over his life and drew me into a closer walk with my Lord. He took his responsibility as a husband and father seriously, and his love was deep. His children can use him as an example of a man of God.

Now, a word to you men who aren’t married. You have a great responsibility too. From Scripture, we see that the Apostle Paul wasn’t married; but once he met Jesus, his life honored God in all things.

“For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that” (1 Corinthians 7:7).

Because he wasn’t married, he was able to freely go on his mission trips and not worry about supporting a wife and children. His singleness wasn’t the go-ahead for him to sow his wild oats and live a life of sin. He served God and kept himself away from sin.

If you’re single, there are many services you can do for God. For example, there are many boys who need a Christian man in their life for an example of how to be a man of God. Many men who accept Christ for salvation have come from the Satan-ruled world and need to be guided in the ways of the Lord. There are ministries that can be done easier if you aren’t distracted by family obligations. Let God lead you, but remember to follow Him in all parts of your life. Let God rule your life, not sin.

Men need to be vigilant over their lives and keep walking the narrow path set before them.

“Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong (1 Corinthians 16:13).

The phrase “quit you like men” is a bit odd to our modern ears, but it means to be brave. It’s translated from the Greek word “andrizomai”, a verb that means “to make a man of or make brave; to show one’s self a man, be brave.” Being a man means more than attaining a certain age. It means shouldering responsibility. It means loving your wife and children. It means not being ashamed to stand firmly upon God’s word. As the song says, Rise up, O men of God!, Have done with lesser things; Give heart and soul and mind and strength To serve the King of kings. (First verse from “Rise Up O Men of God” by William Pierson Merrill)

Where are the men who aren’t ashamed to take a stand for Jesus? It seems as if they are few and far between. They are out there. It’s time for them to rise up and take a stand.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

www.straitandnarrowministry.com

ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

Ron and Nathele Graham’s previous commentaries archived at https://www.raptureready.com/featured/graham/graham.html

All original scripture is “theopneustos”— God breathed.

If you’d like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.