Tabernacle Typology 2: Let Them Bring An Offering

Tabernacle Typology 2: Let Them Bring An Offering

by | Jul 11, 2024 | Bible Studies, Christological Reflections, God in the Details, Tabernacle Typology, Typology

Ex. 25:1-9: (KJV)

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, “Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass,And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair,And rams’ skins dyed red, and badgers’ skins, and shittim wood, Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense, Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate. And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.

According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.”

God is the creator of all things, the creative genius, weaving together the seams of reality, painting the skies, and letting His song flow through all of creation.

In the Old Testament type of the Tabernacle we find a skillfully composed portrait of Jesus and His coming Kingdom. Each material used in its construction had a specific divine purpose in the design, God’s design for the salvation that was to come (Heb 8:1-5, and see Ex. 25:8-9).

The Tabernacle is seen by many commentators as a sign, an emblem; a symbol of God’s habitation among men – the coming incarnation of Jesus and the subsequent indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

It is interesting to note that according to Maimonides, the main purpose of the Sanctuary was to wean the Israelites from idolatrous worship and turn them towards God. If we examine, for example, the account of the Golden Calf (Ex. 32), we see that the Israelites, like most people, are easily discouraged and seek physical evidence to support their faith, usually in the wrong places. To them, at that time, God had been revealed through Moses, and now that he was gone they needed a new deity, a new revelation of the divine. The sanctuary was there to remind them of God’s presence in their midst, to reassure His chosen people. Just as His Holy Spirit brings revelations of God to us today, so they also needed a revelation, reassurance and affirmation.

The Tabernacle, in many ways, re-enforced the laws which Moses had been commanded to set before the children of Israel. It also symbolised the fact that, when God wanted to abandon them, rather than destroy them, He forgave them, and He went on with them (Ex. 33).

God gave very specific instructions concerning the construction of the Tabernacle, as well as the materials that were to be used. In Exodus 25:2: the Lord says: “Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.”

This offering was a freewill offering, not a mandatory one. He also says that the offerings that are to be received are gold, silver, brass, blue, purple and scarlet yarns, fine linen, Goat’s hair, ram’s skins dyed red, badger skins, acacia wood, oil for the lamps, spices for anointing oil and for sweet incense, Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod and breastplate.

A lot of this was plunder brought out of Egypt (Ex. 3:21-22), goods given by God, being given back for the glory of God. The beauty of this is in the concept of self-sacrifice. A spontaneous movement in oneself to do something, out of one’s free-will, not forced participation, but a decision to act not just on behalf of your own good, but for the good of your community according to the Will of God. Thus the Tabernacle is also a symbol, the embodiment, of love, gratitude and surrender to God’s will – for no other reason than the love of neighbor and above all the love of God.

The Tabernacle, for us as modern believers, is an invitation to participate in His presence.

We give what God has given us – our breath, our time, our lives – so that He might dwell in our midst and be glorified. We give what God has given us – with all our love and all our strength – so that God might inhabit our lives and that His Kingdom might come in us and through us, reaching, restoring and transforming the world around us.

Reflect:

1. In thinking about the materials listed in Exodus 25, what are some of the things these components might represent in regards to the coming of Jesus and His Kingdom?

2. In Exodus 25 God commands Moses to take up an offering to build the Tabernacle. What resources do you have available and how can you better use them to expand God’s Kingdom and Habitation amongst His people?

Prayer:

Lord, receive the offering I bring today. As I lay it at your feet – my breath, my time, my life – give me more of You. As I pour out myself before you, come and pour Yourself into me. Come tabernacle in me. Come and live, come alive, in me so that I might be a beacon of Your presence in a hurting world – Your hands and feet. Come and have Your way in me. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Tabernacle Typology 1: God Wants To Dwell In Our Midst

Tabernacle Typology 1: God Wants To Dwell In Our Midst

by | Jun 27, 2024 | Bible Studies, Christological Reflections, God in the Details, Tabernacle Typology, Typology

In Genesis 3:15 we see that, shortly after Man’s disobedience, God makes a promise, the promise of salvation. God has a plan, for each and every one of us individually, and more often than not you can find the type (or the foreshadowing) in the Old Testament, and the final, full-fledged result, the fulfillment, in the New Testament.

After their Exodus from Egypt, the people of Israel found themselves safe at Mount Sinai. Here Moses had given them the laws and regulations of God, but that would not be the end of their journey with God.

An interesting aside is that God threatened to leave them, to abandon them – instructing Moses to lead the people, but saying “ Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.” (Ex. 33), Moses acted as intercessor, just as Jesus was an intercessor for our sins, and reminded God of His promise. This would not be the last time Moses would intercede for the unbelief and obstinate of his people (Numbers 14).

Shortly after this the construction of the Tabernacle started.

God knew the plan He had for the Israelites, He knew what lay ahead (Jer 29:11). He also knew that their hearts would be hard and unrepentant, and that they would remain a stiff-necked people throughout. He knew what the consequences of their stubbornness would be…

Because of this unique knowledge, knowledge that only our God possesses, He designed the Sanctuary so that it could be a portable temple; a portable structure that could travel with them on their wanderings, so that they could have a physical emblem of God’s presence on their journey. It is important to note that when He instructs them to make for Him a sanctuary, the emphasis is not so much on God dwelling in it, but rather that He may dwell in their midst, among His people.

Even in the desert God would be with them. Even in their stubbornness. Even in their stiff-neckedness. Even in their sin. Even in their deafness.

God loves His people, loves His creation and wants to see it glorifying Him, He wants to see His children prosper and live in abundance and so, after the fall of Man, he made a new and living way for us, so that we could break the shackles of sin, and lay all our burdens down and truly be free through Him. Therefore, as you go through the Old Testament, you find people and events that foreshadow the coming of a Savior, the coming of Salvation.

It has been stated in various books and studies that the Tabernacle can be looked at as a portrait of the Lord Jesus Christ, and thus also paints a beautiful picture of God’s love for us, as well as some of the characteristics He expects believers to adopt. God wants to dwell, or tabernacle, in the midst of His children, and just as He revealed Himself to the Israelites,

He revealed Himself to man through Jesus, coming in the flesh through the indwelling of His Spirit, the same Spirit that lives in our hearts, seeing as we’ve accepted Christ as Lord and Savior and have, through Jesus, received all the promises of the Father, that is to say, the Holy Spirit which guides, teaches and edifies, building up the body of Christ into which we were baptized. (Eph 2:22).

His plan, displayed to us a single scarlet thread throughout the Old Testament, was fulfilled in Christ Jesus, and because of the fulfillment the old should be traded for the new. We should cling to Jesus, and not the type, but rather the fulfillment of it, for He now dwells in our hearts, God tabernacles among us, in Spirit.

In the Old Testament God lived in the Tabernacle, he dwelt among His people through the Tabernacle, but today, in this day and age, He revealed Himself to us in Jesus, and now reveals Himself through the Holy Spirit (The Spirit of His Son), in us.


Where once God dwelt in a temple, He now truly lives among His people, He now truly tabernacles amongst His people, He now lives within us. Just as through the Tabernacle the priests had access to God, so to, through faith in Jesus we have boldness and access to God, through Christ we are a royal priesthood! (1 Pet 2:9)


He made a way for us, a new and living way, and we are free…

Reflect:

1. What are some ways in which we can see Jesus typified in the life of Moses and the event of the Exodus?

2. Reflecting on the purpose of the Tabernacle, what does it typify in terms of the modern day believer? What does the word ‘tabernacle’ mean to you?

3. The Tabernacle was in a lot of ways the ‘portable Presence’ of God in the desert. What does this imply in terms of our Christian walk?

Prayer:

Lord, I thank You for the depth of Your Word. That there is always more under the surface. As I continue to think along these lines, broaden my understanding. Come tabernacle in me Lord. Let me be full of You. Full of Your Presence and Power – a portable temple of sorts in the desert of this current culture. Help me carry Christ to dead and dry places, and let me see revival and restoration break out wherever I go. In Jesus name. Amen.

What is Typology? (An Introduction)

What is Typology? (An Introduction)

by | Jun 27, 2024 | Bible Studies, Christological Reflections, God in the Details, Typology

Typology is the study of the New Testament in light of the Old. One of the biggest Biblical studies in typology is the book of Hebrews in which the author constantly points out how important figures, concepts and events point towards Jesus as the Messiah.

Looking at the Old Testament we can think of a few obvious ones, for example, the Brazen Serpent, symbolic of Jesus coming in the likeness of sin and hanging on the cross so that all who look unto Him could be saved, and the Rod of Aaron, typical of Christ’s priesthood and resurrection.

Essentially, ‘Types’ are a kind of prophetic foreshadowing. The idea is that all that was points towards what is and what will be – that God has hidden these prophetic lines in the tapestry of creation and history, like a secret scarlet thread for us to find, understand and marvel at.

God has been writing His love letter to mankind from before it all began.

And these ‘Types’ are like breadcrumbs leading us towards a more compelling, fuller view of the will and heart of God.

Beyond being food for thought, as we meditate on and enjoy the deeper things of God’s Word, there is also the potential of using it in conversation to explain who Christ is and what He did for us.

There is therefore the potential of employing it, like the author of Hebrews, for Jewish evangelism specifically as well – at the very least, the study of these types present the opportunity of using the Old Testament, the Hebrew scriptures, to open the door for conversation about Jesus.

The names and concepts from the Old Testament will be familiar to a Jewish audience, and with a little bit of cultural awareness the knowledge of the Old can be used to point our brothers and sisters towards the New and Living Way.

Nonetheless, whatever our reasons for pursuing a study of the Old Testament and its types – whether for personal growth and understanding, purely academic or intellectual reasons, or more practical pursuits – it is a fascinating subject worthy of our attention and careful, diligent study.

Here are a few places to start:

  • Numbers 21 – the Brazen Serpent (See John 3)
  • Exodus 11-13 – The Paschal Lamb (See 1 Corinthians 5:7)
  • Genesis 22-24 – Isaac as a ‘type’ of Jesus (See Hebrews 11)
  • The Book of Joshua – Joshua as a ‘type’ of Jesus (See Hebrews 4)

The prophets often saw in simile and metaphor, Jesus spoke in parables – and through the Holy Spirit we can gain a deeper understanding of the recurring themes, ideas and concepts in the Bible towards a more satisfying view of history.

As you look at these examples, ask God to show you that hidden scarlet thread – the scarlet thread of His mercy, grace, love and faithfulness – the scarlet thread that is Jesus.

Reflect:

1. Prayerfully look at one of the examples above, all typifying Jesus. How do these people, places and events point to Jesus?

2. Can you think of any other examples in the Old Testament that might be a kind of prophetic foreshadowing of the coming Kingdom?

Prayer:

Lord, all knowledge and wisdom is in Your hand. I ask today that as I read, as I study – as I approach Your Word with reverence and awe – that You will open up the Scriptures and grant me understanding. Help me see Jesus in the Old Testament. Enlarge the joy of my salvation as I consider the things of Old – knowing that from the foundation of creation You had me in mind. Since before time began You loved me. From the very beginning of it all, Your plan for me was Jesus. Amen.

Christ and the Angels: Lower than the Angels

Christ and the Angels: Lower than the Angels

by | Jun 14, 2024 | Bible Studies, Christological Reflections, God in the Details

David asks: What is man that thou art mindful of him? Or the son of man that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. (Psalm 8:4-5, KJV).

It’s a question I’ve often asked, and I’m sure it must’ve crossed your mind in the past as well – who am I that God is mindful of me? Who am I that He cares for me? Who am I that He sees me, and hears me, and loves me unconditionally?

Now – it is important for us to acknowledge that man is made up of various components – that the flesh can be separated from the spirit and from the soul. They are three distinct parts.

In the beginning God created the universe – He created man – and told man to reign over all the Earth, to have authority!

God made us, a little lower than the angels, but crowned us with glory and honor.

When we talk about Jesus being lower than the angels it is of utmost importance that we separate the various components which makes us human. Jesus isn’t lower than the angels in spirit and soul – but only in body! He is lower than the angels because of the perishable flesh He took on. We must remember that Christ is still God!

The Bible teaches that sin came into the world through one man – Adam, but also that our redemption comes from one man – as promised in Genesis 3:15 and fulfilled in Christ – the anointed Messiah in whom we have redemption, the remission of our sins and eternal life.

Hebrews 2:14: (KJV) reads as follows:

“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;”

Tying in with the previous passage, as found in Hebrews 2:9-10:

“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”

God stepped down from His throne into the darkness of the world, into our midst, so that He could restore us, rescue us and take us home – return us, in right standing, to His Kingdom.

God stepped down from His throne, inclined to man, and it became Him to become a little lower than the angels so that He could suffer for our infirmities, be broken for our transgressions, and pierced for our iniquity. It became Him to step down from Glory, so that He could be glorified by His love for us – so that we could glory in His embrace.

He came to Earth a little lower than the angels to restore us, to take all our burdens upon Him, to taste death for man, so that we could eat the bread of life eternal.

In this we see this Christological concept – that Jesus is the Word that took on flesh to become the Spotless Lamb of God, the Sacrifice for the remission of our sins and our reconciliation with Himself. The perishable flesh that would serve as the metaphorical ‘veil’ behind which the fullness of God lives – torn so that we may realize that God is not in that box, but among us, dwelling, moving, and working in our midst.

The Word, infinite and eternal, taking on corruptible, frail and fragile flesh is the epitome of God bowing the heavens to tabernacle in our midst. The immortal becoming perishable the ultimate sacrifice.

Reflect:

1. In the second chapter of Hebrews the author draws a comparison between Jesus and the angels to explain the significance of His incarnation. What are some ways that you can describe the incarnation of Jesus in your personal mission field?

2. In the first two chapters of Hebrews the author draws comparisons between Christ and the angels to explore His majesty, power and glory – but also the frailty of the flesh He came to inhabit. Why is it important to understand both sides of the Incarnation to have a full view of His finished work on the Cross?

3. Considering the above, what can we as believers take out of the text to influence the way we live our lives and our outreach to our neighbours?

Prayer:

Lord, in all things – persecution, famine, nakedness and sword – help me be a faithful witness of Your Kingdom. You endured great discomfort, pain and even death to prove Your love for us. My flesh might fail, but Your Spirit does not. Empower me through the indwelling of Your presence to see Your Kingdom come in our midst as I pray for, work for and strive for revival in my life and the lives of those around me. Give me a renewed understanding of the frailty You chose on my behalf and the sacrifice – Your Body and Your Blood – for me. Let me live a life worthy of the One You gave – with gratitude and thanksgiving. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Christ and the Angels: The Sceptre of His Kingdom

Christ and the Angels: The Sceptre of His Kingdom

by | Jun 14, 2024 | Bible Studies, Christological Reflections, God in the Details

In Hebrews 1:8 we find that Christ is God – and God Himself confirms it – we read:

“But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.”

God Himself says unto the Son – Thy throne, O God, is for ever!

Deuteronomy 6:4: and John 1:1: it is confirmed – God is one and we know that He would never do or say anything contradictory His word – therefore Christ is God!

In the same verse also we read that ‘a Sceptre of righteousness is the Sceptre of thy kingdom.’ Christ lived a spotless life on Earth – unblemished and pure – He lived a righteous life. In Psalm 1 we read that it is the righteous man who is like a tree planted by mighty rivers – but that the wicked is like chaff blown in the wind. This translates into life as follows – He who is firmly rooted in Christ (The source of Living Water) shall live a righteous life (Being as a tree planted by the Living Waters). Righteousness is the core of His teaching, His life and His ministry and is therefore also the centre of His kingdom – the Sceptre of His Kingdom!

We also find that He has authority over all things – if righteousness is the Sceptre of His Kingdom – than He must be the King. In verse 13 we read:

“But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?”

And Peter on the day of Pentecost shared the following with the crowd:

“This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool.” (Acts 2:32-35) (KJV)

It is Christ who is the exalted right hand of God – the Holy One who saw no corruption – who loosened the pains of death. Jesus – being raised up in glory and seated on the Throne of God.

In verse 9 we read that Christ has been anointed with the oil of gladness by God – because He has loved righteousness. Christ is the Holy and Anointed One. He is the Priest, Prophet and King of the world!

He is the eternal and unchanging one.

Hebrews 1:10-12:

“And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.”

Daniel has this vision in Daniel 7:13-14:

“I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”

We see once more His authority in the Daniel passage, but we also read in the fourteenth verse that His kingdom is everlasting – that His kingdom, His dominion, shall not be destroyed, nor shall it ever pass away.

The author of the book of Hebrews states that all things may perish, but Christ shall never perish – that His dominion is forever. He states that all things will grow old and fade, and may be folded by Him and changed – but He is the same forever!

Eternal and unchanging.

In verse thirteen the question is asked – to which of His angels has He said, at any time – sit at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool?

In verse 9 we read that God has anointed Him, has chosen Him above His fellows, but in the thirteenth verse we find that He is exalted above His enemies as well, that they are His footstool. Glorious!

Christ has been chosen, anointed, above all things – every living creature, and principality – He has been exalted above all things on Heaven and in Earth.

Ephesians 1:21-22: testifies of this fact when Paul states that Christ is:

“Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,”

Although angels are holy and immortal (Luke 9:26, Luke 20:36) – and possessed of certain supernatural qualities, they can not even begin to compare to the omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence of the Lord, neither are they necessarily eternal. They have their imperfections (Job 4:18, 1 Pet 1:12) and, as the Bible implies, are also vulnerable to temptation (Matt. 25:41, Revelation 12:7,9). Finally, and this should go without saying, they are definitely NOT to be worshipped (Col 2:18, Rev 19:10). Instead, their function is to worship God and reveal God so that others might worship Him.

Angels were feared and respected in ancient times as the executors of God’s estate – carrying out the will of God. But Jesus…

Jesus is higher than the angels – righteousness is the Sceptre of His Kingdom. He is the Eternal and Unchanging One, anointed with the oil of gladness. The Earth is His footstool. He is the Exalted Right Hand of God, seated on the Throne forever and ever.

Jesus is the Hand of God reaching down Himself to establish His Kingdom here on Earth.

Reflect:

1. What kind of feelings do the phrases “a Sceptre of righteousness is the Sceptre of Thy Kingdom” and “the Earth is Thy footstool” elicit in you? What kind of images do these phrases bring to mind? How does this affect the way you live your day to day life?

2. The Book of Hebrews does a good job of employing the cultural, religious and spiritual emblems and symbols of the day to describe the Godhood of Jesus Christ. What are some ways we can engage with and employ the culture of our day to share the Majesty and Power of Christ and His Kingdom?

3. Looking at Hebrews chapter 1 we see a collage of quotes. The author uses it convincingly to make the case for Christ and His Cross. How can we better make use of the spiritual discipline of Bible study to connect the dots between the Old and New Testaments to create a fuller and more compelling vision of Christ and His Kingdom?

Prayer:

Lord, as I take the time to think about the deeper things of Your Word, open up a deeper understanding. Help me gain insight, let me wisely discern the connections between the Old Testament and the New. Help me see and experience the fullness of Your Kingship in my life – Jesus, help me see the fullness of Your Godhood – and give me the right words to bring this across in my personal mission field. Come and reign in every facet of my life. Come and be glorified in the comings and goings of my day to day life. Yours is the Kingdom, the Glory and the Power. Forever and ever. Amen.

Christ and the Angels: Higher than the Angels

Christ and the Angels: Higher than the Angels

by | Jun 14, 2024 | Bible Studies, Christological Reflections, God in the Details

In Hebrews 1:4-14: we see how Christ is higher than the angels:

In verse 4 we read that Christ has, by inheritance, obtained a much greater name, a more excellent name.

In Ephesians we read the following:

Ephesians 1:19-22: (KJV)

“And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church…”

Peter, before the council of Jewish elders and rulers, in Acts 4:12: states that there is no other name in Heaven or on Earth by which to be saved – that the name of the Lord Christ Jesus is the name of Salvation.

Reading this we realize that His name is the only name, and the most excellent name, that there is no other name worthy of exaltation and glorification – no other name than Jesus.

Christ is often called the Son of God, as He is from the Father. None of the angels have the privilege of being called the Son of God, and none of the angels share in this glory. Later on we read that Christ is like a Son in His house – meaning He has dominion and authority. The angels have no authority except where God allows it, but Christ – having the name above every name – has total dominion. (Verses 5-6)

And then we read (In verse 6) that when God brings the Firstbegotten, Jesus, into the world He says – Let all the angels of God worship Him.

In Psalm 18:3: David writes:

“I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.”

Earlier we read that there is only one name! One name through which we have our redemption, our salvation, our freedom – and that is the name of Christ! Jesus Christ, being God, is worthy of all the praise and honor, worthy of all exaltation and adoration, magnification and glory! Christ is worthy!

The angels bow before His throne, and worship Him.

Who makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire? In verse 7 and 14 we are taught that angels are ministering spirits – that they are sent forth to minister to those who will inherit salvation.

In Psalm 91:11-12: we read –

“For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.”

God commands His angels concerning us – to guard us in all our ways – to keep us from harm – but they are not Mighty to Save. They cannot save us from death and sin and disease. God uses them to minister to us – that is true – but Christ is salvation and healing and freedom! Christ is the one and only High Priest and King.

Finally, in verse 14 we read that the angels are but ministering spirits sent forth to minister to those who will inherit salvation.

Easton’s Bible Dictionary (Easton, 1897) has the following to say about angels:

“a word signifying, both in the Hebrew and Greek, a “messenger,” and hence employed to denote any agent God sends forth to execute his purposes. It is used of an ordinary messenger (Job 1:14: 1 Sam. 11:3; Luke 7:24; 9:52), of prophets (Isa. 42:19; Hag. 1:13), of priests (Mal. 2:7), and ministers of the New Testament (Rev. 1:20). It is also applied to such impersonal agents as the pestilence (2 Sam. 24:16, 17; 2 Kings 19:35), the wind (Ps. 104:4). But its distinctive application is to certain heavenly intelligences whom God employs in carrying on his government of the world. The name does not denote their nature but their office as messengers.”

As an example we will read from Luke 2:8-10:

“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 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.”

Angels are agents of God’s providence – that is to say – His intervention. They are messengers called to carry out God’s redemptive work – not His work of total redemption, but to minister to those in need and danger – to deliver God’s children from afflictions and tribulations.

This being said – it is of utmost importance that their ministry greatly differs from the redemptive ministry of Christ. Their call is to minister to those who will inherit salvation.

Hebrews 1:14:

“Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” (Emphasis own)

And also, we read in Zephaniah 3:17:

“The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.” (Emphasis own).

Christ is the mighty one who will save! The angels minister to those who will inherit salvation, but Christ is salvation.

Reflect:

1. Angelic encounters can take many forms. Are there any stories from your life – either lived or heard – where you have encountered anything resembling an angelic encounter? How did this affect your faith?

2. If the angels are created as ministering spirits to minister to those who will inherit salvation, what are some of the ways in which they interact with humanity? What scriptural references can we employ to lead us to a deeper understanding of how they perform their function?

3. If we think of the office of the angels in terms of the quote from Easton’s Bible Dictionary, that an ‘angel’ could refer to a person of flesh and bone (eg. a prophet, a priest, or any other agent of God’s providence – as also the intention behind John’s use of the word in his Revelation), how can we ‘assist’ the angels in their work as the hands and feet of God? What insight can we glean for use in our servanthood from the Biblical example of the angels?

Prayer:

Lord, as I think about what You did for me through Jesus Christ upon the Cross, let me employ all of my faculties, with renewed vigour, towards paying it forward. Let me learn from the example of the angels and be like a flame of fire to those around me – offering warmth, protection and light to the weary and burdened. Let me minister to those who would inherit salvation – let me be a beacon of hope, love and life everlasting – an agent of your divine providence. Let Your Name, high and lifted up, be as sweet as honey upon my lips – and may my life lead others to join the angels around your throne in worship. Give Your Heavenly Host command regarding me, oh Lord, so that I might not dash my foot against the stones, and keep me on the path of Your righteousness, for Your Name’s Sake. In Jesus Name. Amen.