Winged Thoughts

Winged Thoughts Content: Non-human angelic forms The ongoing relationship between men and angels The nature of angels Angelic attire The work of angels What qualifies as angelic Angelic society

One may find accounts of angels in every culture and religion, but this study of angels will take for its source material only canonical text, and the occasional reference note. Based on descriptions drawn from the King James Version of the Holy Bible, I will seek answers to questions we have all asked about angels. No doubt, I may stumble on to answers for which questions have yet to be asked.

As a back drop to this study, I wish to include a few basic facts about angels as viewed in religions other than Christianity and Judaism.

Japanese angels are traditionally viewed as women in bright clothing.

Angels of the Baha'i faith are considered maidens of heaven.

Hinduism views an angel as a sort of inferior god with no particular message to mankind from the main deity.

The bodhisattva, a sort of Buddhist angel, is male in the original Buddhist texts, but is represented as female in many Buddhist schools.

Followers of Zoroastrianism believe that each one of us has a guardian angel--a Fravashi--- that protects and guides us.

Angels have intrigued man from the beginning. Many books have already been written on the subject of angels. We will not follow them; we will strike out on our own. A common view of angels has already been derived from countless volumes. No, we wish to see not the individual threads, but the whole tapestry. We seek not just the pieces of this puzzle; we wish to put the pieces together.

As I have endeavored to show in past studies, the wording of Biblical source material is important. It is the half of the study that other writers have failed to bring forward. So much is missed in common studies; they look at the words, but fail to really see them. I speak of contemporary writers who are so 'slick' they actually drop the ball. As an example, a common angel reference is found in Mark 12:25.

“For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.�

They will view this description of angels, and make a common error in judgment. It goes like this: angels neither marry nor are given in marriage (that is both the masculine and feminine case), therefore, they are sexless beings, and by extension, those who find themselves in heaven will also be sexless. If this was true, the angels would not have come down and married the women of earth. A more realistic view is this: angels are not sexless, they simply do not have marital practices. Heaven may be a livelier place than previously supposed.

This study will strive to take all things into account. We will seek even the unpalatable truths about angels. We will seek the exact nature of the angel, and leave nothing out. In the end, there will be no surprises.

Angels seem to be intermediary between God and man. I am given the sense that they are a society unto themselves, complete down to a military presence. They have free will, but exhibit shared mentality. By this I mean that at times, an angel will speak as if he is God. Yet, there are angels who have missed the mark, the fallen angels, whose state is not unlike the fallen state of man. Mankind's connection to God must always include a connection to angels, therefore, mankind must understand both the nature and the work of angels. For man, an angel is a manifestation – it appears here to us, but it comes from another realm. So, what is it, exactly?

Section One: Non-human angelic forms.

Many times, angels are described with human-like attributes; many other times they are described as taking on non-human forms. We will first study these non-human angelic forms.

Non-human descriptions abound. We take note of the many instances in which angels take the shape of cloud or fire. Sometimes they can present themselves as disembodied voices, or even as hands floating in mid-air. The point is this: if an angel is an extension of an invisible spiritual God, an angel can be almost anything.

Angels may be the halfway point where God, being a spirit, reaches out into this physical world. Consider these verses from the book of Acts.

Acts 7:30, 31, 32, 35, 38 & 53 And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai an angel ( manifestation ) of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush. When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord ( through the angel ) came unto him, Saying, ( alternate: and the angel said ) I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold. This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand ( physical agency ) of the angel which appeared to him in the bush.

This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us: Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.

Please take special note of the words I have placed in parentheses. Also note the words which I have underscored. I ask this of all readers for this one fundamental reason: the words of

scripture, as they are presented, are vitally important to any acquisition of understanding. The spirit presents our generation with the message it wants us to receive. By that I mean, the message is presented to us in the words as they appear in present texts. It is important to derive the correct interpretation from the given wording.

What did Moses see in the bush? Not God – God is invisible. Yet, there was a physical manifestation of a spiritual entity. It looked like fire, but it didn't actually destroy the bush.

Neither smoke nor ash are mentioned. Moses saw an angel that did not look human. Moses heard an angel speak. It was the angel that said “I am God”. Now, at this juncture, we may choose one of several possible scenarios. One: the angel was a puppet and the strings to its fiery vocal cords were being pulled by a non-corporeal hand. Two: the angel was a volunteer who delivered a message verbatim. It is even possible that the angel is, in some way, God – perhaps a member of an elite angelic group or society in which the Mind-set of God is a shared attribute.

What we just read in Acts was taken from an account closer to the fact. It came from the book of Exodus. Note that in the Exodus account, it is also an angel that is in the bush. The part about it being an angel is not an opinion of the writer of Acts; it is not something that was made up, nor was it a matter of interpretation. The writer of Acts called it an angel because it was an angel. In the Exodus account, the angel is also described as a fire that burned without any harm to the bush. Again, it was the angel that said “I am God”. Read it for yourself.

Exodus 3:2-6 The angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, Moreover he (the angel) said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

What we need to consider here is the use of the word 'of'. What is actually meant when we say the angel 'of' the Lord? Do we mean manifestation? Do we mean representative? Or, is an angel some kind of puppet or vehicle? These are matters we must keep in our thinking as we continue this study.

Fire is a non-human angelic form. Here, two thoughts branch off from the trunk of inquiry. One thought is that an angel is a spirit that is able to take on corporeal identity. The other is that an angel is a corporeal extension of the spiritual, and only exists when the spirit extrudes into the physical plane. It could well be that mankind has traditionally bought into an overly generic view of what is angelic.

Along the extrusion branch, please view these verses from Exodus. Take note that the extrusions are basically elemental.

Exodus 13:21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: Exodus 40:34 & 38 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory ( fire? )of the Lord filled the tabernacle. For the cloud of the Lord was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.

It is noted in early accounts that men saw angels. Some of them were fiery, some were

cloudy. Whatever the form, real flesh and blood eyes beheld them. An interpretive word is introduced in the verse above – it is the word 'glory'. Glory was some aspect of an event that particularly impressed those who witnessed the event. Glory, as we will see in other accounts, is usually bright. So, if the cloud was on the tabernacle during the day, and at the same time there was something bright inside – what was that brightness? Moses has been described as talking to fire, not to cloud. The following verse suggests an angel of the Lord in a fire inside the tabernacle.

Leviticus 1:1 And the Lord called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation.

From the verses just cited, we note the alternating of fire and cloud. We wonder if they occur concomitantly. If there is fire inside during the day talking to Moses while the pillar of the cloud is visible over the tabernacle, is there a cloud inside at night while the fire is visible over the tabernacle? For that matter, although it is not noted, I wonder if it was a cloudy day when Moses stood before the burning bush.

Now, it could well be that Moses also spoke to the angel of the Lord when he appeared as a cloud. The following verse might suggest such a thing, but it might also suggest only the proximity of the cloud to the fire. The following verse may suggest that the cloud actually covered the door of the tabernacle. We get that from the word 'over'. However, it is equally possible that the word 'over' was used in the sense of the expression 'over against'. The column of cloud could have stood in the court yard of the tabernacle. It could have blocked entrance to the interior parts. Then, there is the simple alternative that 'over' meant 'above'. The fact that it is mentioned in close proximity to the door, coupled with the fact that the bright glory was within, suggests to me that cloud and fire may have belonged together – closer together than we are normally used to thinking of it. Perhaps the angel was not just one or the other, but both at once.

Deuteronomy 31:15 The Lord appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of a cloud: and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle.

So, the cloud was both in the tabernacle and over it. The tribes traveled for many years with the tabernacle. They witnessed the cloud and the fire every single day. Their physical eyes saw apparitions of cloud and fire. Yet, God is an invisible spirit. It makes me wonder, in regard to the next reference, just what it was that the eyes of Moses beheld. It also speaks to the view of spiritual extrusion. The following verses describe Moses seeing the hind quarters of God. It was a fly-by mooning of truly spiritual proportions. The question to ask is this: if God is invisible, was the apparition an angel? If it was an angel, then being an angel, at least here, promotes the extrusion view. As to the view of an angel being a volunteer – would an angel volunteer to be the ass of God? There are more questions to be asked of the following verses. For instance, if God provided such an image of Himself that would protect Moses from being fried, how intense must be the glory of God's front side? Still, the glory of the Lord may have been an angel. We note the twofold nature of the passing, in that there is a front and a back.

Exodus 33:2, 3, 9-11 & 21-23 I will send an angel before thee; for I will not go up in the midst of thee; lest I consume thee in the way. as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the

cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses. And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door. And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

This account needs much scrutiny. We must look at everything. First, the passing by of an invisible God is the passing by of the angel of the Lord. God tells Moses that is what it will be, and he tells him why. Secondly, it speaks of God's self awareness. Why do I say that? God does not tell Moses, “I am over here by a rock”, he says, “there is a place by me”. A man would have used the first expression, and that would stem from his corporeal sense of self. Such self awareness is based on exclusion: it is a me vs. everything else world view. The expression used

by God does not suggest a world view. It does not suggest an awareness that is based on exclusion, but on inclusion. Such a verse gives us valuable insight into the thinking of a spiritual being.

I have already indicated that the extrusions of spirit into this corporeal realm have an elemental quality about them. So far we have only dealt with fire and cloud. The following reference suggests an extrusion through the elemental quality of water. It is noted in the account that the angel is invisible, yet, witnesses have seen the water of the pool move about in an uncommon manner. Now, the apparition of the angel in the bush took on the appearance of fire.

It did not burn the bush - it only looked like fire. Perhaps the cloudy pillar was only the image of a cloud. Perhaps the water angel only looked like water. Judge for yourself.

John 5:4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

Angels which may be only the extrusion of spirit into corporeality, seem enabled to take on the image of certain elements. The element of fire, like those of water and cloud, are freemoving elements, and for that reason may have been the logical choice. Angels, no doubt, may take many different forms. They may appear in many guises. It should not surprise us to find them in more solid forms. How about an extrusion of earth and ore. Ezekiel has an account of angels that seem metallic in nature. Read on.

Ezekiel 1:5, 8, 10, 13, 16, 22 & 26 Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man. And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings. As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle. As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the color of a beryl:

and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel. And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the color of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above. And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.

Note first that we may only be dealing, here, with the image or likeness of something rather than the actual article. Had Ezekiel been more certain or convinced of what he saw, he might not have called it an image of a living creature, but actually a creature. In his description, he ascribed to creatures a certain man-like quality in that they had the hands of a man under their wings. The man-like quality is then amended – the quality becomes that of a construct in that it has four sides.

It is unclear whether each likeness has four sides, or is only one side of the apparition. If the thing was a machine that was basically a box, I can imagine robotic arms being exposed by panels that lift up, rather like a wing. Else, there were two wings to each side, the whole being like a helicopter. Ezekiel went on in his description of these angels by saying that each of the four had their own faces and wings.

That last part can mean two different things, depending upon the view. Were the 'four' only sides of a whole, or were they autonomous beings? The description begins to coalesce when Ezekiel ascribes two of the faces as being on the 'right side'. That not only changes the shape of the apparition, it changes certain aspects of the viewing experience.

To have been able to see two faces on one 'side' suggests that one corner of the four-sided object was more toward the viewer, which in turn would naturally obscure the two other sides.

This further suggests that the object moved in such a manner as to present the viewer with a turning or revolving image.

Ezekiel saw two faces, then the object turned and Ezekiel saw the other two faces. The possibility exists that the four-sided object was not exactly square, but more of a diamond shape.

Going on the assumption of the object being shaped like a diamond, the suggestion occurs that the faces were grouped in a particular order. The right side afforded a man – lion connection, while the left side afforded an ox – eagle connection.

Now we are aware that machines are sometimes emblazoned with illustrations of this or that. I recall the image of a fighter plane upon which had been painted the face of a shark bearing its teeth.

The four were further described as a whole in relation to bright objects that flew near them. Ezekiel described the objects as lamps, but the description of burning coals offers us a more three dimensional understanding. Recall that even today, many of the UFO sightings submitted describe round glowing lights. The lights that Ezekiel saw seem to be similar, and connect the four living creatures by their movements. The lights might be thought of as a cloud, or better yet, as a moving garment clothing the creatures and giving them a sense of being a single body. From the cloud of swimming light came lightning discharge that at least suggests a power source for flying machines.

Ezekiel then describes four wheels the color of Beryl. Since pure Beryl is colorless and impurities result in tints, a likely color might have been blue-green. The description of the workings of the wheels seems no less than a description of something constructed to function mechanically. Imagine: an angel on wheels! There were actually wheels within wheels. Some

modern interpretations of this passage include the image of a gyroscope. I am mindful of popular hubcaps that spin within as a tire turns and continues to spin after it has come to a stop.

One impression of the apparition might be that the four living creatures were stacked vertically – that is because Ezekiel describes the burning coals moving up and down. Another impression is that they fly in formation, connected by the lightning producing lamps.

Each already has wings, hands, and a face – but wait – there's more. Each creature apparently had a head on top. The head was above all else: the very top of the creature. The topmost part was notable for a particular reason. There was a firmament over the heads – a small slice of heaven that was distinct from the rest of the sky. Its color was described as 'the terrible crystal'. Above that was what seemed to Ezekiel to be a throne with something man-like seated thereon.

My guess as to what the terrible crystal was is this: it was a dome through which Ezekiel could see the firmament, but at the same time had shape and definition due to the colors in it that reminded Ezekiel of 'the terrible crystal'. Other sources have described that crystal as a prism, but I cannot speak to that.

It is likely that the firmament was a singular event that radiated, prism-like, either to or from the throne-like apparition that flew above. It could also have been the structural support that connected the captain's seat to the machine.

Ezekiel expands his description of a non-human angelic form in the following verses.

Ezekiel 10:2-4, 7, 8, 14 & 21 And he spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city. And he went in in my sight. Now the cherubims stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court. Then the glory of the Lord went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the Lord's glory. And one cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubims unto the fire that was between the cherubims, and took thereof, and put it into the hands of him that was clothed with linen: who took it, and went out. And there appeared in the cherubims the form of a man's hand under their wings. And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle. Every one had four faces apiece, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings.

I would like to draw attention to three reference points in the verses above. One is the man in linen; two is the singular cherub; and three is the plural cherubim. I wish also to draw attention to the attending actions. What does the man do? He goes between the cherubim, receives the coals of fire, and removes himself from between the cherubim. Later in this study, we will examine angels that are described as men dressed in linen.

For now, the non-human cherubim in Ezekiel will conclude this segment. What do the cherubim do collectively? They pretty much just stand in place. Real action on the non-human angelic level takes place with the singular cherub. We may view the cherub as a four-sided construct, basically a vertical column.

The action attending the singular cherub is two-fold. It is, at first, a transference of power, energy, and their visible manifestations. The cherubim stood to the right of the temple. When the

linen man went inside, the inner courtyard was filled with a cloud. Since this was an open outdoor area of the temple complex, and the cherubim stood in it to the right of the house, the cloud could have been smoke. At that point, brightness was transferred from a vertical column of the cherubim to the door of the house, illuminating the inner court, and the cloud was transferred inside the temple house.

Next, we are told one of the singular columns stretched out its hand. The hand was not on the external area, nor reaching outward. It was internal, between the four – possibly in the area where the coals of fire went up and down. It is mentioned, again, that each singular column had its hand under its wings. We are led to believe, then, that the purpose of the repeat was to indicate the hand position of each as being on the inner most side.

Now, this was a mechanical action: the action of reaching. The hand did not reach between them so much as down to the ground. It had been earlier indicated that the coals were to be found near the wheels under the cherub. It is so worded as to suggest that each column has only one wheel.

A hand is found at the end of an arm. The hand in Ezekiel is qualified as the 'form of' a hand. At any rate, the hand extends from just below the wings down to the wheel. Either it is a long telescoping arm, or the column is not all that tall. As to the proximity of the coal near the wheel, we must compare its stationary position to the earlier description of coals going up and down. Is the linen man accepting power or a physical object? The changed condition whereby the coals are under the column when the cherubim are at rest indicates a hovering stance with heated emissions producing coals.

They are described as having four wings per column – one wing per face. As to the hands, it is not clear if there was a hand on every side. That should amend my earlier assessments and assumptions. Did each column spin, thus affording a view of each side? Finally, each column is described as having four faces. The faces are the same, with one notable exception. The ox face has been replaced by the face of a cherub. What exactly would the face of a cherub look like? Ezekiel has so far described cherubs as basically mechanical.

Certain reference materials associate the four faces with the four lesser aspects of mankind. Not only that, but, the faces are associated with the four elements, and the four constellations of the winter sky. As to lesser aspects, the ox may represent the beast of burden.

Cherubs are thought to be second up in rank. That places them as just above the purely functional realm. Indeed, each part of the column may have symbolic significance.

That symbolism may need closer scrutiny, but it will not receive it here. Suffice it to say, in concluding this segment of the study, that the beast of burden aspect of man was taken away and replaced with a higher aspect. Does this symbolize spiritual advancement? I wonder.

Section Two: The ongoing relationship between men and angels.

God, men, and angels – the three are intrinsically entwined. Man has, throughout history, considered the role that angels play in the affairs of men. Angels, in that regard, have come to represent a half-way point between man and God. Man has evolved an image of angels that is like man, and through recorded history, there have been numerous accounts of man-shaped messengers from God. God is an invisible spirit. God is the God of spirits, and spirits take many forms. Men, like angels, have spirits. It would be wrong for us to conclude of angels that they are only spirits, or that they are only the extrusion of God's spirit into our world. Rather, we would be correct to

think of man-shaped angels as being like us in relation to God. By that I mean, they are beings that possess spirits, as do men. They are different in some respects, but both men and angels are humanoid beings whose spirits are commanded by God. God directs the actions of humanoid angels because God is a spirit, and the ruler of all spirit. Like an angel, man has a spirit, and God rules it. See how God is described in the following verse.

Numbers 27:16 The Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh.

Indeed, man is not that far removed from the angel. Man is described as a member of the species of angels. Just as the domesticated dog is a member of the same species that the wolf belongs to – both belonging to the Canidae family – so man is included in the family of the angel. The following reference declares that relationship quite plainly.

Psalms 8:5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor.

Historically, man's relationship with God has included humanoid angels. These angels are traditionally depicted as men. These man-shaped angels are normally in the service of God, speaking and acting for the advancement of mankind. The following verse is one example of an angel of God being called a man.

Ezekiel 43:5-6 So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house. And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house; and the man stood by me.

However these apparitions came to men, the humanoid angels appeared to men in the same manner as men. Many times, they were seen as solid entities. They looked upon us with eyes, they spoke to us with mouths, they stood upon two feet, and used hands. They wore clothing, had hair and, on the whole, were credible representatives of all the normal human features. See an angel standing on his own two feet in the following verse.

Revelation 11:1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.

Many times, in the accounts of angels, it is not clear whether the angel is real or merely a vision of some sort. I do think, however, that when people qualify what they see as being like something, they are not really sure. A real man standing before me will be reported simply as a man standing before me. If there is some doubt as to the state of my mind at the time, or of the quality of the other individual's constitution, I will qualify my report – maybe not a man, but certainly like a man – at least, that was the appearance of what I think I saw. Whether real, a dream, a vision, or a hologram, angelic encounters warranted writing about. Read the report.

Daniel 8:15-16 And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.

And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.

In many of the reported angel encounters, the angel was humanoid, but there was also something about the figure strange enough to include in the report. When Moses was instructed to erect a fiery serpent, the end result was an artifact made from brass. I mention this to illustrate a connection between brass and the color of fire – a general reddish approximation. If a man is described as brass-like, what must we think? Is a good tan important enough to include in the report? Many people were ruddy in appearance in that time and environment. Did the man appear in a light that gave him a brass-like appearance? Was his skin shiny and metallic? Did he wear clothing that seemed metallic? Here is a brass angel.

Ezekiel 40:2-4 And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate. And the man said unto me . . .

The following verse is an example of an angel encounter in which the angel is reported as normal. It may have been a vision or dream, the medium is not the issue; the angel was not described as an 'appearance', or 'like' a man – he was simply called a man.

Ezekiel 47:3-6 And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles.

Another account of angels presents us with a more generic view of angels. In other words, the concept of men and angels is interchangeable.

Zechariah 2:1-5 Behold a man with a measuring line in his hand. Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him.

The following two verses are from the book of Mark. Chapter sixteen, the final chapter of that gospel, is short, and offers a brief account of the resurrection. One might not see much of import on the first reading; in regard to the study of angels, one may only note an angel in the tomb, dressed in a long garment. Something quite marvelous and mind expanding occurs when one reads the chapter with an eye toward the actual wording.

Mark 16:5 & 12 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.

From just these two verses, we get an angel described in his angelic attire speaking to the women, and a description of Jesus as unrecognizable to two men who knew him.

Wording is key to this chapter, and subsequently, to our understanding of angels and their ongoing relationship to men. The key to chapter sixteen is repetition. In other words, to understand what is really being said, we must put ourselves in the mind of the writer.

Language of that time and era used repetition to drive home its message. Verses one and two provide the format for the entire chapter. Verse one states that the women went to the tomb

after the sabbath ended. Then verse two states the same thing, but in a different way – that they went to the tomb early on the first day of the week. Such repetition is common throughout scripture. These are not two separate accounts, but one. Nothing is amiss; that was simply the way that culture spoke and wrote.

In reading the chapter, one should see the repetition. Here is the short of it: Mary saw a young man sitting in the tomb very early on the first day of the week. Add verse nine to this: Jesus rose very early on the first day of the week, and presented himself first to Mary. Now, note the word 'first' and add to it, “after that, he appeared in another form”. Are you hearing what the chapter is saying? Chapter sixteen is about the resurrection and subsequent appearances of Jesus.

The wording is critical to a proper understanding.

Jesus appeared to the eleven (his third appearance) in the form of Jesus. Jesus appeared to the two men (his second appearance) in another form. Jesus appeared to Mary (his first appearance) in a wholly different form. The fact is that both Jesus and Mary were in the tomb very early on the first day – where Jesus showed himself first to Mary. If you are tempted to think that there are two tomb accounts, think again. Mary ran from the tomb after she saw the young man in a long white garment.

Verse nine is repetition; it is the retelling of the only account. Jesus showed himself first to Mary in the form of an angel. When he spoke of Jesus of Nazareth, he spoke of his old self, for he had ascended. If this was not the case, the wording of verse twelve would not include “after that he appeared in another form”.

Note, too, how the angel named the remaining apostles. The angel said, “tell his disciples and Peter”. This was a common classification in the gospels, even up into the book of Acts. It is how they were thought of. It was always 'Peter' and this or that other disciple. It was 'Peter and the rest'. The writers of the gospels thought that way among themselves. They were close-knit, and the group existed on a personal level. Peter was somewhat distinct from the rest of his band, and was referred to that way. It is not likely that outsiders would refer to them in such a manner, but it is likely that Jesus would.

What is the point of all this? The point I am making is that Jesus was an angel, that angels are on a higher level than their earthbound brothers, that as ascended beings, they are capable of physical actions that we find impossible.

Although angels and men have an ongoing relationship, angels are not the main thing, spiritually speaking. Angels guide us in our relationship with God, but we are warned about getting too wrapped up in the whole angel thing.

Colossians 2:16-18 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind.

It would appear, then as now, that not everyone believed just anyone could see angels.

Some things that people say, then as now, are based not in spiritual understanding, but rather in the mind-set of the world. By that I mean to include, physical actions and goals, desires and emotions.

Nevertheless, communications from God are common knowledge. Mankind has regularly received messengers, ambassadors, attaches, both solid and invisible. How many people do you

suppose left Egypt with Moses? Every one of them daily witnessed the columns of cloud and fire. You might say it was burned into their collective memory. And then – there was that time when (how many thousands of them?) heard God speak directly to them. Check it out.

Exodus 20:22-25 And the Lord said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.

As to angels, they walk the Earth as men. That, too, is part of the general historical psyche of mankind. It is such a deeply seated part of our collective view, that it has become axiomatic. See the following verse.

Hebrews 13:2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

If you are tempted to think that such things are inapplicable to our present day, consider this. I knew a man in Texas who relayed to me a story his wife had told him concerning her Dad. Her Dad had been a traveling salesman. His area was the entire west, so you can imagine he was on the road a lot. According to the daughter's story, her Dad had once been a church going man, business slowly leeched that aspect from his life. All he did was travel and sell.

He was reported to be a man that never picked up a hitch-hiker, but one day he saw a neatly dressed young man on the side of the road, and decided to do what he never did. With the introductions past, the two settled into a long trip through a hot desert. The a/c hummed as driver and passenger each viewed the barren landscape from his respective window.

Suddenly, the young man asked, “Are you a church-going man?�

The driver turned to answer, but the young man was not there. The door was locked, and the window was up. The young man had asked his question, and quietly vanished. After that, the man returned to church as an active member.

Angels are sometimes as solid and real as we are; we deal with them in real ways.

Interactions between men and angels can seem mundane at times. In the Bible, angels sometimes appeared as men of God. 1 Samuel 2:27 . . . there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord . . . and 2 Kings 1:3 & 15 . . . the angel of the Lord said to Elijah . . . And the angel of the Lord said unto Elijah . . .

The following verses give us solid information about angels. As you read them, note that angels can be touched, travel in groups, and are concerned with time. Note also that not all angels exhibit great strength or mighty powers.

Genesis 32:1, 2,24-28 . . . the angels of God met him. And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men,

and hast prevailed. “As a prince�; keep that term in mind. It will play its part in this study. So, angels are seen as men, and handled as men. Consider the account of Abraham and the Lord.

Genesis 18:1-5,16&22 The Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day. And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, and said, My Lord, if now I have found favor in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: and I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, so do, as thou hast said. And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham stood yet before the Lord.

Consider how the narrative alternates between the singular 'Lord' and the plural 'men'.

Consider how the Lord, as three individuals, rested beneath a tree in the shade, how they washed their feet, how they ate bread, spoke to Abraham, listened to Abraham, had visible faces, and all the other attributes of normal men. Yet, Abraham's account in not about a meeting with three men, or three angels, but about a meeting with the Lord. Still – the Lord is described as three men.

What was there about the three men that tipped off Abraham about their true nature.

Although the three are not described, I wonder if they wore different clothing, or clothing not particularly in keeping with the heat of the day. Did that Prompt Abraham to offer rest and refreshment? Did they walk with no covering for their heads? Was their bearing appreciably prince-like?

It is not always so evident that a man dresses or carries himself like a prince, but there may be hints or a certain gut reaction that sets the mind to wondering. We will have to ask: what exactly is the manner and bearing of a prince, how did some people recognize them, and what gave them away?

In the following verses from Judges, Manoah did not at first see anything more than a man of God, but his wife, at least, thought that he might be an angel, based on his 'countenance'.

We will see in this study that the occasional 'man of God' is also an angel of the Lord. Since the two are linked, we may be equally interested in just how the man of God was recognized.

Judges 13:3-22 . . . the angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman . . . Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible . . . Then Manoah intreated the Lord, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us . . . and the angel of God came again . . . the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband . . . And Manoah . . . went after his wife, and came to the man, and said unto him, Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman? And he said, I am. And Manoah said unto the angel of the Lord, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee. And the angel of the Lord said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not

eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the Lord.

For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the Lord. And Manoah said unto the angel of the Lord, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour?

And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret? So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the Lord: and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on. For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground. But the angel of the Lord did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the Lord. And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God. It was commonly accepted that God could take the form of a man. Manoah didn't bat an eye at the notion that the man they had just seen was God. It's quite understandable. The man had just taken the flame to heaven as if it was an elevator. We can understand that this couple was just a little freaked out. Before that, however, Manoah thought he was speaking to a man of God, while his wife suspected there was an angel in their midst. Manoah's subsequent actions would have been the same for any man of God. He asked the man for his name – and that should clue us in on at least part of how a man of God might have been recognized. That whole thing about the name being secret was not necessarily due to the individual being an angel. It may be that a man of God identified himself: gave his name, and or some initial blessing or curse.

We cannot begin to guess how men of God dressed. There may have been no set code for godly attire. Loads of people used walking sticks, or, staffs – but, how might that identify a man of God? Unless their staffs were significantly different from other staffs, they may have been mistaken for shepherds. Were men of God the wild-eyed outdoorsy type? Did they sport deep tans, hairy backs, and leather girdles?

If an angel dressed like a man of God, his manner might still give him away. They might be a little spookier than the average man of God. They might seem menacing – they might have a more godly glower.

Still – throughout the Bible, there seems to be an underlying theme of recognizable godly traits. This can be seen even in cultures other than the early Hebrews. Ask yourself, how would an idol worshiping pagan be able to recognize an angel – much less the son of God? Ask yourself, do angels look like Jesus?

Daniel 3:24-28 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellers, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellers, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be

the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. So, the king was knowledgeable about the Hebrew God. Still, his mind was awash with his own religious practices. Safe to say, the angel was no carved piece of rock.

In his thinking, as with others from early times, the concepts of an angel, and of the son of God were not distinct.

Note this about the son of God – slash – angel: he not only was able to personally overcome the intense fire, but he was able to change the constitution of the fire, and/or the three humans so that not only did they survive, but witnesses noticed no damage – and be sure, they looked closely. Not even the smell of smoke was on their clothing.

The ongoing relationship between men and angels began at the beginning of recorded history, at the expulsion of mankind from the garden, and extends to the very end, where the history of mankind culminates with a fusion of human and angelic habitation.

Revelation 21:10-12 & 17 . . . and he . . . shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: . . . and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.

The angels, however they may have been identified, share a certain quirk of character with the men of God. That quirk rests in the mannerism of message delivery. One need not be particularly well versed in scripture to recognize the phrase: “Thus saith the Lord”. Both men and angels spoke that way, but as to the more terrifying 'countenance' of angels, the mannerism is just a bit more on the personal side. Note what the angel says first to Satan, and then to Joshua; more importantly, note how he says it. Look very closely at the wording.

Zechariah 3:1-7 . . . Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee . . . And unto him (Joshua) he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee . . . And the angel of the Lord stood by.

I think that the more common consensus, spanning Biblical eras and mind-sets, was that spirits of God, and angels of God were such high-caliber representatives of God as to constitute God himself. This assertion finds support in the following verses.

Acts 23:8-9 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both. And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God. The humble mind-set of early man placed above his own person the person of an angel.

Angels were eagerly received because of their abilities, expertise, and over-all bearing. Men of God (those who were merely men) were just as eagerly received, and usually for similar reasons.

See how Paul was received by the Galatians.

Galatians 4:13-15 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first. And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.

As an aside, I wish to point to the clue embedded in the verses listed above. The clue is not about angels, but about Paul. Paul was blinded on the road to Damascus. It could well be, that after that life changing event, he never enjoyed the full power of his eyes. The infirmity and trial of his flesh is referenced against the Galatians in such a manner as to suggest ailing eyesight. The Galatians were not willing to rip off their arms or legs for Paul's sake, but to pluck out their eyes.

Paul's reception impressed him, and it seems that for some telling reason, both angels of God, and Jesus Christ are mentioned in what may be considered the same breath.

It is evident, in the writing, that man adopted a close mental association with his more advanced brother, the angel. Apostles justified their station thus. In the line-up of spiritually evolved types, apostles felt as though they stood out.

1 Corinthians 4:9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.

After all, they were men. For that matter, angels were men. It can be argued that even God is a man.

Exodus 15:3 The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name.

Section Three: The nature of angels. We seek the parameters of the angelic constitution. We will find it. We will study it. We will turn it over and over in our hands until we become quite familiar with it. We will discover, I think, that the nature of angels rubs shoulders with the nature of God. Likewise, we will come to understand that the nature of angels rubs shoulders with the nature of man.

Man has concluded that certain manifestations of God should fall under the general header of angelic. Such angels are necessary vehicles for the conveyance of an invisible spirit.

We will be more picayune in our naming of angels. Without refuting the angelic properties of the vehicles of God, we will create a separate classification for the humanoid angel.

Our first task will be to compare angels with God. In order to accomplish such a thing, we must deal with the fundamentals of the nature of God, and we already hold the first piece of this puzzle. Piece one: God is an invisible spirit. Of his basic nature, God has no similitude.

Deuteronomy 4:12 And the Lord spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice.

The above is an example of God, the invisible spirit, acting through an elemental vehicle.

It is obvious in the example that God controls what people see and hear, and yet, what they see is

not God. The non-human angelic form is actually a manipulation of the elements. That, in and of itself, is a major indicator of the nature of God. All matter may be included in the composition of God, but for the purposes of our investigation of an invisible, and I might add, intangible God, matter may be viewed as external to him.

Men have considered such apparitions as angelic, and despite our present-day state of advancement, we would marvel at such displays no less than our primitive forefathers. We have to admit – talking fire is cool; we would definitely be impressed.

Men gave two names to those apparitions. They called them angels, and they called them 'Lord'. Apparitions of fire and smoke did communicate to man through sight and sound, but touching is not noted in those accounts. The writers of those accounts pretty much agreed that God had no similitude, yet, when humanoid entities represented God, they, too, were called Lord.

Jeremiah 1:9 Then the Lord put forth his hand, And touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.

We are going on the assumption that God has no similitude. God, himself, may not be seen. God is unique – one of a kind. There is no comparison of the whole, but we may compare attributes and constituent members.

Jesus told us that God could be seen, that if our eyes beheld the visible son, our eyes beheld the invisible father.

In our investigation, it is necessary to clarify our view of the nature of God. We must look past the whole to see the parts. In doing this, we must explore and define the nature of spirit. We have called God a spirit, and the Lord of all spirits.

In other words, God is able to manipulate both the tangible corporeal element, and the intangible spirit. We may then initially view God as a spirit around which orbit lesser spirits, and these spirits may be viewed as vehicles no less than the elements. Read below.

Zechariah 6:4-5 And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.

It may be that angels revolve around the lesser spirits. It may be that angels are the vehicles, or manifestations of lesser spirits. Or, we might view them as care takers and guardians.

We will leave our minds open to the possibility that there are many orbits around God – spirits, spirits of spirits, angels of spirits, etc.

Our main investigation here will center around the humanoid angel. We will examine the various descriptions of them to determine their nature. The pieces to our puzzle will fall into place.

We name our new classification the 'Brother Angel'. Angels in this category are like men in that they share with us certain familiar traits. They are also notably different in certain respects. We identify with their more human traits, and we aspire to their superior attributes.

Angels are routinely described with the traits that most impress those who see the apparitions.

For instance, the following verse describes an angel with impressive attributes. We who study such accounts, accept that the descriptions submitted were filtered through comparison. In other words, an angel is seen. He is basically like a man – so, if there is something more to be said, the angel is thus described by comparing him to a man.

Revelation 5:2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice.

The angel was strong. Compared to the average man, the angel might have been larger and more muscular. Did the angel bench press? Was the angel so dressed as to bring attention to the physique? How buff was the angel? It might be common that angels are in good physical condition, but the brother angel is sometimes average. I guess, not every one of them can be super-human. See below.

Hosea 12:3-4 Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed.

The brother angel comes in many shapes and sizes. It would definitely be a mistake to buy into the homogenous view of the statuesque, blond Aryan angel.

Since angels can seem like individuals on the outside, it stands to reason that they may also have different temperaments. Some may seem patient and helpful, while others have an attitude. Some can be downright mean and destructive. Read below.

Psalms 78:25 & 49 He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.

Here may be clues to evil, or fallen angels. Here we may see a reflection of the nature of God in the nature of angels. God is not all sugar, like so many people wish him to be. He gets angry. When sending a representative, it seems appropriate that he would send someone to represent his anger. It may be the angel is imbued with the nature of God's current emotion, or it can be that the representative believes in the cause just as intensely as does God. The scenario might be that God calls his princes together, and tells them what's going on.

He communicates his disappointment and frustration. His rhetoric whips the crowd into a frenzy.

They raise their hands for permission, calling, “I'll go! Choose me!�

Read below for one 'worked up' angel. Note his passion for the Lord. Note how important God is to the angel, how high up God is in his estimation. You are not going to dis God and get by this fellow unscathed.

Judges 5:23 Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty.

We have established thus far that angels can be individuals. They can look different, they can have different strengths and weaknesses, they can have emotions, attitudes, and great passion. That is only a small part of their nature. Previously, we noted that they can change shape. This talent must be viewed as an ability to manipulate matter to some degree. Such a thing speaks of the nature of energy. Do you hear the buzz of high voltage? Just for a charge, read the shocking verses below.

Job 4:15-16 Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up: It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes.

I said earlier that man identifies with the angels. I have classified the humanoid angels as

'Brother angels'. Here, I wish to include a reference that indicates the opposite – that angels identify with men. It points to very telling facts about the ongoing relationship of men and angels. As you read, you should make comparisons. Ask yourself, just who inhabits the Earth, and in what state they may be compared.

Revelation 12:7, 9 & 10 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

Both men and fallen angels share a fallen state, yet, the non-fallen angels of heaven claim that we are their brothers. Think about it – if the whole world is deceived, would that not include all the inhabitants? Both men and fallen angels are equally in the dark. And, just what does it mean to be cast into the Earth? What is lost in the transference from spiritual to corporeal? The next time you pass a stranger on the street, ask yourself, could he or she be a fallen angel – and not even know it? For that matter, could you be a fallen angel and not know it?

One must put the angels in one hand and the inhabitants of the Earth in the other hand.

One must compare the attributes of both. Angels can manipulate matter, just like God. They are above the endless cycle of life and death. The inhabitants of the Earth, some of which do not know that they used to be angels, do not have the talents and abilities of the angels. They are caught in the endless cycle; their only way up and out is through salvation.

It could well be that the fallen state is not a thing that is settled. It could be an ongoing state. Anyone may be cursed, and anyone may accrue additional curses. Inhabitants of this world, by certain admissions and changes of direction, may be relieved of their curses. Similarly, even the angels of heaven may accrue curses if they are not careful. See below.

Galatians 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

It is by no means certain that all the falling is over and done with. Neither is trust of angels, on the part of mankind, a settled matter. In the list of all the things that may come between man and his redemption, angels are present and accounted for. I have to ask: why? Why would an angel even think about doing such a thing? Of course, I am discounting those fallen angels who are just as much in the dark as the rest of us. Perhaps the heavenly angels would never do such a thing, but if they tried, they might only be doomed to fail. Surely, some things are stronger than the angels.

Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

As individuals, angels may have as much free will as men. Whether their choices are

always right – who can say? But, there is a notion that mankind will ultimately be placed over the angels. That might be purely Biblical, and based on an obstruction of needful information.

After all, the whole world is deceived. However, if angels in heaven are our brothers, and consider us as brothers, does it stand to reason that either of us would judge the other? Would not Jesus be the only judge? It might be, however, that when our eyes are finally opened to the light, we will recognized and judge the fallen angels of the Earth.

The scenario might go like this: I note that the fallen angels shared my fallen state. I note that the fallen were just as stuck in the endless cycle of death and rebirth. My eyes being open, I might finally understand that they were in the dark – that is, they thought they were men. They lived like men, making mistakes, making up for mistakes, hoping, and doing good – even repenting, and living in faith. I would look at an individual whose life seemed so much like my own, and knowing that I was forgiven, I would forgive. Judge for yourself.

1 Corinthians 6:3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

Will we become the accusers of the brethren, or will we, like Christ, advocate forgiveness?

Mankind has not cornered the market on limited knowledge. Certainly, I do not know everything. I am in the dark, just like you, just like the fallen angels. Even the angels of heaven don't know everything. Jesus told us plainly.

Matthew 24:31 & 36 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

Angels do know what God wants them to know. We can rightly assume that the angels of heaven have access to knowledge that is currently beyond the limited abilities of men. In many cases, angels know what God knows. It may be communicated per need, it may be a shared thought, or a shared mind. Angels speaking for God – we see it often.

Genesis 21:17&19 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. God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad to drink.

Of course, God may speak directly to man. He is able, after all, to manipulate matter.

Quite often, however, it is the angel that speaks. The angel, while considered the voice of God, is an individual representative rather than an elemental manifestation. Angels have been noted, in their communications to men, as speaking in two distinct manners. The first is to precede the message with a qualifying statement such as “thus saith the Lord”. The second is simply to say “I”. There has already been examples of the latter in this study. Following is an example of the former.

Genesis 22:10-18 the angel of the Lord called unto him (Abraham) out of heaven,

and he (answered the voice), “Here am I.” The angel of the Lord called to Abraham out of heaven the second time, and said, “By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord . . .”

Since angels of heaven communicate with men on Earth, it takes no stretch of the imagination to understand that sometimes the fallen angels also receive communications. If they are in the dark, if they live the life mortal, what stations might they fill? Are some of them in the service of God? In speaking to an angel on Earth, one associated with the assembly of men, Christ utters a remarkable statement. Read below, read it two or three times. Think about it.

Revelation 2:1&5 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write . . . Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

Apparently, the opportunity to repent is also extended to angels. At times I have considered that the angels of the seven churches might be a sort of gestalt of the assembled souls.

Now I am of the mind that fallen angels are mostly mortal, mostly in the dark. They live their lives side by side with the humans. They may even look human – mostly.

There is a parable that speaks of wheat and tares. Are the fallen angels tares. We know little about such matters, but that only makes me wonder more. What sort of occupations, for instance, would fallen angels be attracted to? If they are in the dark, but still being manipulated

by Satan, they might have occupations as task masters of the human race. Daniel spoke of such a people, in: Daniel 2:43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another.

There are people in this world who are not people. We both walk the same road. It could be that not even the angels of heaven can tell us apart. One parable, in describing a harvest in which the enemy had sown tares, depicts the owner as electing to allow them to grow up together, rather than risk harm to the wheat by the uprooting of the tares. In the 'harvest', the truth will come out.

Speaking of elect, there appears to be a level of angel that is known as the elect angel.

This brings many questions to mind. How does an angel become elect? From which rank is the elect angel taken? When the angel is promoted, is there an automatic 'file right'? When an angel is promoted from the lowest ranks of angeldom, does a human take his place? The suggestion is that there are levels of angels. What I want to know is: how many?

1 Timothy 5:21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels.

Angels of the 'Brother Angel' classification, to recap, are humanoid, consider man to be his brother, come in all shapes and sizes, can manipulate matter, and speak for God. They have free will, which allows for at least the possibility of continued falling. Some of them speak as if they are God, with a notable omission of 'thus saith the Lord' in their communications. Some

seem muscle-bound, some seem spooky and sinister. Among heavenly messengers, that is, not including the fallen, there are 'evil' angels. Angels know a lot, but not everything. Perhaps, as they move up in rank, they receive their knowledge on a 'need-to-know' basis.

Exploring the exact nature of angels can lead the seeker almost anywhere. Following is the account of the transfiguration from Matthew. For the apostles, it was an apparition, and in Jesus own words, it was a vision. Assuming the apostles were awake, we would like some solid facts of this matter. Jesus, of course, was solid enough. However, he evinced the ability to manipulate matter in such feats as walking on water, turning water to wine, healing the sick, etc.

It should come as no surprise to find him emitting light. Did this vision occur as immediately as the text suggests, or had there been some other part to this, something like meditation? Just what was Jesus' definition of a vision?

Matthew 17:3-9 there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.

A seeker, naturally, will ask all sorts of questions. Allow me to ask some for the reader.

What exactly is a transfiguration? Was matter manipulated? Had Jesus entered some other dimension? What did the vision have to do with the resurrection? Why did Jesus speak to Moses and Elias rather than Michael and Gabriel? Why did Peter interrupt the discourse? What does the appearance of two dead old testament characters say about those who 'sleep' as compared to those who face the end times? And, just how did the apostles recognize the prophets? There were no photos or paintings to go on.

Beyond that, however, please note certain angelic aspects of the account. They are intriguingly similar to accounts of encounters with angels. Note the humans falling on their faces. Note someone coming over to touch them, and to offer comfort through encouraging words. Note a voice emitting cloud.

But, lets return to the fallen angel for a moment. Here we wish to make some comparisons. We wish to compare the fallen angels to the heavenly angels. We wish to compare two uses of the word 'cast', along with certain other words. First, take a look at these verses from 2 Peter.

2 Peter 2:4 & 11 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 judgment . . . Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.

If the sinner angels were locked away in hell (that is, in some other place) how would they trouble us, or ever be an issue? On the other hand, when the angels fought, the losers in that battle were described as being cast into the Earth. Could there be a sort of sliding scale, in which

hell for angels is actually Earth? It is certainly something to think about. Our language includes the common thinking that results in such expressions as 'hell on Earth'. Many people believe that life on Earth is hell. Personally, I do not subscribed to that notion, but the comparison between being cast into hell and being cast into the Earth definitely causes my right eyebrow to twitch upward.

The same is true for the word darkness. In an earlier reference, we noted that the fallen angels, being in the same 'whole world' as the humans, were deceived by Satan. They, like us, are in the dark. The chains of darkness, in 2 Peter, is described as something into which God delivered the fallen. We normally think of some state like being buried underground. The way I see it is: if we are deceived, we are in chains of darkness. The angels are said to be 'reserved unto judgment' – well, don't we face a judgment?

2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.

Finally, pertaining to 2 Peter, I wish to compare the angels of heaven with the fallen angels. In doing so, we are afforded a glimpse of what the angels may have lost in their fall. In contrast, the heavenly angels are 'greater in power and might'. Therefore, power and might are two possible losses for the fallen angels. These abilities may include talents for manipulation of matter. I think it likely, also, that memory and angelic self-awareness are obscured by the endless cycle.

We know that there are different kinds of angels. It has already been seen that there are differing angelic allegiances among the humanoid angels. There was a war in heaven – if everyone is on the same side, there is no likelihood of confrontation. The question to ask is this: who is allowed to have angels, and what are the qualifications?

Matthew 25:31 & 41 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 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.

God has angels. He is qualified because he is the creator of angels. God is the master of all angels. God's only begotten son has angels. Is his only qualification that he is God's son? Is he qualified beyond being a son because of his resurrection, and victory over death? Is it possible for an angel to move so far up in the ranks of angeldom, that he is rewarded with angels of his own? What I want to know is this: how did the devil get to have angels? What were his qualifications?

Was Satan an angel? Is he an angel now? According to certain scriptures, we are led to believe that Satan is just as bound in chains of darkness as all the other fallen angels. He lost the battle, and was cast into either the Earth, or hell, depending on which verse you read. In other scriptures, it seems rather unlikely that he is currently sharing the same fate as those who followed him into battle.

The ability to deceive the whole world suggests several things. One is the freedom to act.

Another is a knowledge of how to deceive both humans and angels. Yet another is a more or less contiguous sense of self that is unaltered by the endless cycle. That is not to say he did not lose his power and might, angelically speaking. The following verse suggests change. If one is transformed into an angel, one must necessarily be transformed from a non-angelic state. Of

course, if one is transformed in the estimation of others, that will suffice. A transformation by any other name is still a transformation. If it is not a case of estimation, then we are dealing with realities beyond human experience. Therefore, if Satan can transform into an angel, what is he transforming from? Was he ever an angel? Does his qualification for having angels, as with Jesus, approximate more toward son-ship?

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

The following verse is somewhat perplexing. While it was a bit of local opinion that was established neither in custom, nor the ordinances of the church, it may be a valuable insight into the reason angels married women. I personally never thought of female head coverings as a form of power – how would such be power against angels? Hair, on the other hand, makes a woman attractive. Are female angels bald? Call me old school, but I hope they are not.

1 Corinthians 11:10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.

Earlier, I spoke of layers around God. I described revolving spirits, and around them, or as extensions perhaps, angels. Is an angel like a suit of clothing for a spirit? Is an angel only added functionality? Some texts certainly suggest that.

Our view of the humanoid angels, despite their man-likeness, is not one of beings who procreate. If I was an angel, and I could get an angel babe – what would be the temptation for going to the Earth in search of a monkey babe? No, we tend to traditionally view angels as created beings.

Being a created being suggests the possibility of being uncreated. Does God snatch up an angel, and tell him, hey – I'm going to turn you into an elemental manifestation? Maybe not, but if angels can manipulate matter, they can certainly transform at will.

Psalms 104:4 Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire.

Just as when some angels change back and forth in their appearance, sometimes we are not sure of the role that we are to attribute to them. In the following verses of Zechariah, there is a wavering in our view of the angel. First of all we find the angel tagged as a man riding a red horse. Then he is tagged as an angel speaking with the author of the book. The angel speaks to God, god answers the angel, and the angel speaks with Zechariah. The angel instructs Zechariah, using the expression, 'thus saith the Lord', to speak with the people using the expression 'thus saith the Lord'. Zechariah alternately refers to his contact as a man, an angel, and the Lord.

We are tempted to think of the verses as having too much information. Beyond the manangel-Lord / Zechariah conference call, these verses are chock full of symbolic references. There are either three types of horse: red, speckled, and white – plus the red horse the man rode in on, or there is one type of horse: a reddish horse that is white with red speckles. Are theses animals a special class of animal, a symbol of other individuals? Are they symbolic of the functional whole, or are they angels who have manipulated their appearance? There are also the symbols of the horn, the altar, and the carpenter, as well the number four.

Zechariah 1:7-21 behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the

myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white. And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be. And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom the Lord hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth. And they answered the angel of the Lord that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest. Then the angel of the Lord answered and said, . . . And the Lord answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words. So the angel that communed with me said unto me, affliction. And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What be these? And the Lord shewed me four carpenters. Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but These are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.

It gets confusing sometimes. What if all the characters, except for Zechariah, are merely manifestations of God, that is, spiritual extrusions into corporeal reality? If Zechariah was in some sort of trance or dream state, the source need only be one. However, if the apparition happened while Zechariah was awake, we have angels as angels, angels as horses, God manipulating matter to create a voice, and one or the other of them causing manifestations in the form of horns and carpenters.

Our level of certainty in these matters both rises and falls. One thing is sure: men have been trying to described their angel encounters for a very, very long time.

Acts 11:13 And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house.

Basically, an angel encounter may be one of two types: either vision or dream state, or else a waking encounter. Even when angels present themselves as intangible, they produce sound waves in a physical world. People hear them speak.

Acts 8:26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip.

It is sometimes a case of 'you see me, but I don't see you'. The wording of the following verses suggests that Hagar heard a voice, looked around to see someone and failed. If she was by a well in the desert, running from someone, it is likely she was hiding. Perhaps there were shrubs or a rocky overhang. Wording also suggests that just because an angel is invisible, that is no guarantee he will simply appear in the right place, as if he had a GPS. The angel 'found' the woman: therefore he looked for her. Look for yourself.

Genesis 16:7-13 The angel of the Lord found and spoke to Hagar, Sarai's maid. The angel of the Lord said . . . Hagar called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me.

I have briefly touched upon the angelic nature of Jesus – that he may have been from one of the higher ranks of princes. Jesus said that seeing his person was equal to seeing God his father. It is also said that he was with God in the beginning, and was God. If we keep in mind our notion of angelic advancement and promotion, I see no hindrance to angels 'dressing right' until

they are in the uppermost echelons of angeldom. Such levels may be the levels of a son of God like Jesus. To be there, to be equal to God – that is, to be in the form of an invisible and intangible God, is a truly spiritual and desirable state of being.

The issue that I am leading to here is the mechanism of traveling between the spiritual state and the physical state. Jesus moved from the spiritual to the physical and lived a short lifetime in this realm before returning to his former state.

Philippians 2:6-8 Who, being in the form of God . . . took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.

Spiritual beings, at certain levels, may exist almost exclusively on their higher plane.

They might only take on a physical body when it is called for. An angel, on some levels, while still an individual, may be considered as a transitional device for God to travel between realities.

That is not the same as an elemental manipulation., although it might seem as such. There may be strings attached to the transition between realities.

One thought is that certain levels of the angelic order, being spiritually advanced, may only take on a concomitant level of physical manifestation. While the angel may be able to take on enough physical presence to speak, he may himself require an elemental manifestation in which to house himself – say, a cloud.

Exodus 19:9 The Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee.

The mystery of those higher levels of angeldom may be of great interest to angels of lower levels. It may be said that they are equal to man in that they have not seen God. They serve him, but to their eyes, as to the eyes of man, God is an invisible spirit with no similitude.

In speaking of God as Christ, the following verse notes that angels 'saw' God. Had they not seen God until Christ? Perhaps the angels so noted are of the lower, more tangible levels.

They had to use Christ to see the part of themselves that remained hidden from them – rather like using a mirror to see the back of ones head.

1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Could it be that angels have angels – that is, higher more ethereal levels to which they owe allegiance? If the highest levels owe allegiance to God, there may be a sort of 'trickle down' effect whereby lower orders offer allegiance up through the higher orders. Authorities owe allegiance to angels, and powers owe allegiance to authorities. It makes for a tight network of ownership where none fall through the cracks.

1 Peter 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

Here, I wish to look closely at the word 'into'. I get the sense that this word is used in a common manner – as: 'into the service', or 'into a deep trance', or 'into the house'. Revelation

3:12 indicates such an advanced state that transition between the realities is no longer an issue.

'Into' indicates a total immersion by which the individual is then defined by the state into which he is immersed.

Since transition was open to Jesus, I assume he was not totally immersed. That state may lie in his future. Most of the rest of us will dress right, but, some of us will be included in the immersion with Jesus.

Nothing says allegiance, or trickle down, like this next reference. Note expressions that speak of rank and advancement. Note the better 'name' or title. Note the possibility that 'son-ship' is defined by way of immersion, or inclusion. After all, a father defines his son as being a part of him. The matter of an angel's allegiance to Christ may place that angel in the image of Christ through certain implied machinery. I speak of machinery as functionality, as cause and effect – as when Jesus said: “your faith has made you whole'. In that regard, the machinery of Christ's allegiance to God fulfilled itself in Christ being begotten in the image of God. Hebrews 1:4-6, 13 & 14 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

Let's take a closer look at that machinery. Basically, for humans, to be born again requires nothing more than to believe. That's all it takes, but what does that faith entail? What is the machinery of such a transition? I think it lies within the thinking. One is transformed by the renewing of his mind.

This same machinery holds true for angels as well. Faith is a spiritual allegiance. By that, I mean that it is a heightened mental reality. To think and thus act like Christ makes one Christlike. To study the communications of God: to internalize them and act upon them makes one Godly. In a sense, it makes one an extension of the original. It places one as an image of the original.

It stands to reason that the employment of such functional allegiance will always show evidence of transition and transformation. For instance, when an angel subscribes to the stronger aspects of God, that allegiance bears the image of strength in that angel as evidence.

Psalms 103:20-21 Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.

Jesus claimed to always do those things that pleased the Lord. What he was saying was that he internalized certain aspects of God, and exercised those aspects within himself. An angel that excels in strength is one who internalizes strength aspects such as commandments and judgments, and makes them a regular practice. The machinery is the same for all ranks of angels, authorities, and powers.

This is the short of it: if you wish to be born of God, be filled with God. If you were an

empty glass that wished to be a glass of water, you would need only to be filled with water. It seems no more than natural cause and effect; it explains transition as a simple matter of content.

This machinery suggests that forward advancement is a bit iffy. Men and angels alike may advance, backslide, and redirect. This two way traffic is easy to spot in Jacob's dream.

Genesis 28:12 He dreamed, and saw the angels of God ascending and descending on a ladder that reached heaven.

Higher ranks of angels, say – archangels, may be more stable. Greater knowledge does lend itself toward ones self-mastery. The following reference speaks of an angel generally thought to be high up in the ranks.

What does it mean, exactly, for an angel to stand in the presence of God? God, as we have seen, is initially surrounded by spirits. When I say spirit, I mean mind, or mind-set. If entities surround these minds, they may well be guardians, or care-takers. They may even be extensions of these mind-sets, according to the machinery of immersion, or internalization.

Allegedly, it is Gabriel, himself, speaking in the following verse. Note how Gabriel speaks of himself.

Luke 1:19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee.

He seems to suggest that he is able to be in two places at the same time. To stand in the presence of God, and also appear to man presents us with two possibilities. One is of the power of the angel; the other is of the nature of the location of God. Either Gabriel can be in two places at once, or God is everywhere.

The intriguing aspect of this verse is the wording of Gabriel's assertion. This is what he does not say: 'I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God', rather, who is 'that' and stands is 'stand'. When we look closely at the wording, we see the suggestion that Gabriel may not be an individual.

What then? Gabriel may be the name of an order, and or rank of angel / care-taker. Now, it may only be that the text I am using is King James – they did speak funny back then, but the fact of the matter is that King James is an interpretation. They did not make anything up – out of the blue. They simply wrote an old text in English.

I personally believe that we are given the Bible in such form as God wishes us to receive it. What and how we understand, Biblically, must come from the current wording. In that regard, a 'he' stands in the presence of God, while a 'they' stand in the presence of God. Now, I'm not a literalist – exactly. I recognize that much of what we study must necessarily retain a symbolic content. I recognize that the communication of the Bible is filtered through the medium of mortal mentality. That, in and of itself, is not an impediment, for we have already seen that man shares in common with angels certain aspects of the mind of God – it is simply a matter of degrees.

Revelation is notable as a book of vision, and dream state mentality. Most people, I think, are careful not to view the book in too literal a manner. It may indeed come from an altered mental state, that is – not completely from the waking state. That does not mean all of it was dreamed. We must remain open to the possibilities.

I look at a verse like the next one, and see the greater likelihood of it recounting a vision

or dream. However, when I look at it, I also ask myself – under what circumstance might it have been a reality?

We have seen that God, and angels can manipulate matter. Scores of people, all at the same time, have heard the voice of God. Sound waves can be manipulated without corroborating evidence for the eye. Angels, usually in the form of men, have been seen floating above the Earth. Even Christ, who lived an entire life among other men, was seen rising up from the Earth by many who knew him.

If the account in the following verse is real, how did it occur? Most people are smart enough not to look into the sun. The sun, however, is not always blinding. I have viewed it many times through a thin veil of clouds. I think that if a bright floating angel was between the viewer and such an obscured sun, the apparition would be possible.

Revelation 19:17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God. Apparitions of God to men are traditionally humanoid angels. When something out of the ordinary appears, it is written about. The following account makes no mention of fire, cloud, winged four-faced creatures, or stopping to sleep. That leaves our inquiry with the suggestion of an encounter with a humanoid angel.

In reading accounts where it is said that God, or the Lord appeared to this or that person, we should consider the encounter to be with an angelic representative of God. I include this account of Isaac's encounter because it is an instance of communication in which we do not find the expression: 'thus saith the Lord'. The angel speaks directly to Isaac in an authoritative manner – he says 'I' this and 'I' that.

Genesis 26:2,3&24 The Lord appeared unto him . . . “I will be with thee” . . . and the Lord appeared unto him the same night . . .

Now, the last verse in the above reference might suggest to some that Isaac dreamed, but it seems that after the apparition, and before he erected a place to sleep, he labored to build an altar, and then called on the name of the Lord.

More importantly, it occurred to me in the reading of this that the way in which an angel addresses a man may indicate the rank of the angel.. Some angels say 'thus saith the Lord' while other angels say 'I' this and 'I' that. It may be that the 'I' angels are ranked higher than those who begin their dialogs with 'thus'.

So, what makes an angel stand out? What was the common pedestal upon which men placed angels in the old days? We find in accolades to a king, possible attributes of the angelic nature. Read below.

2 Samuel 14:17 & 20 . . . as an angel of God . . . to discern good and bad; according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.

Men thought of angels as wise beyond the common man. Sometimes, rare individuals displayed such wisdom. When they did, they were compared to angels. Two traits of wisdom are pointed out in 2 Samuel. They are the ability to tell the good from the bad, and a broad

knowledge of worldly matters. Telling good from bad is a matter of understanding.

Understanding is a mental attribute that is built upon the exercise of knowledge – in other words, knowledge put to use. To know all that is in the world indicates that one has information at ones disposal.

Angels are out there doing all that angel stuff. Their constant practices make them better at being angels. They become more knowledgeable, and use more understanding in their ongoing exercises. The difference between angelic ranks may be due in large part to the difference between levels of knowledge and understanding.

These levels of knowledge and understanding are due to immersion and internalization.

We ask, what do the highest ranks internalize? Do they internalize the very nature of God? Is the angel God? The following verse might suggest just that, but keep in mind that it may only be due to the ambiguity of the wording.

Acts 27:23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve.

Paul may only be saying that his allegiance is to God, but according to the word structure, it is just as likely that Paul is speaking about the angel. He may refer to the angel as the presence or apparition of God. Paul may consider there to be no difference between God and God's angel.

Was this angel a 'thus' angel, or an 'I' angel? The internalization of God can certainly change things.

In the next verse, we initially see the work of God, in that he defends the people of Jerusalem - but how does that play out exactly? What is notable in the verse may be immersion.

We note that people are 'one-upped'. The internalization of God can turn a feeble man into a mighty warrior – just like David.

Further, this verse provides an inkling of how God may have been commonly accepted.

The thing to look at here is the amendment, or the qualification, that is made in regard to the house of David. It boils down to this: “as God, as the angel of the Lord”.

Zechariah 12:8 In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them.

Did they commonly consider an angel to be God? Did they consider the angel to be the body of God? It is clear that the associations in their minds were close.

As an aside, I am curious about the augmented 'house of David'. In referring to the House of David, what exactly was conveyed? Did they mean for us to understand the house of David as one: the tribe of Judah, two: the city of Jerusalem, or three: the blood line of David?

There are many accounts of God defending his favorite people. Sometimes there was a physical manifestation, sometimes there was not. Whether there was a non-human angel, a humanoid angel, and irregardless of confirmed visibility, we easily note the possessive case in the texts.

Exodus 32:34 Behold, mine Angel shall go before thee . . .

We may call such instances accounts of 'guardian angels'. Just like many modern

accounts of such events, those written in the Bible often omit physical descriptions. In other words, the angel is invisible. Real things happen, but there is no mention of actually seeing the angel. Take note of the account in Daniel Daniel 6:22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

We are left with uncertainties as to whether the account was of an angel or an elemental manipulation. Daniel was trapped in a pit; the entrance was covered with a stone. It is, therefore, likely that the interior was dark. The wording of the story suggests that the den was a hole, and that the stone was laid on top.

No account is given of a den apparition. Even though we are assured that an angel could have lighted the den up like a sunny day, there is no indication or hint of such. I wonder what the percentages would be – invisible guardian angels, as opposed to visible guardian angels.

Some people will naturally ascribed the invisibility of a guardian angel to chance or serendipity. In other words, they believe that things just worked out that way. Some modern accounts of guardian angels are unconvincing.

I have a personal account of a guardian angel, and I might as well include it here. In San Francisco, 1974, as I walked along a street, an event perplexed me. I was lifted above the sidewalk and turned completely around. I found myself looking in the direction from which I came, toward a billboard. I turned almost immediately back around to resume my walk; no more than five seconds were involved. As I walked, I thought through the event, wondering if I had merely stopped and turned around. That explanation did not explain the lifting up. I knew the sensation of levitation from my extreme youth. Baling out of swings was a thing I much enjoyed as a small child. The heady sensation of weightlessness that one attains at the apex of such an arc cannot be forgotten. I concluded that I had been physically lifted and turned – but, Why was I lifted and turned. As I stepped down into a small alley, a sports car entered the street traffic at a truly reckless speed. Had I been just a few seconds earlier, I would have been hit.

If we choose the option that an angel is only a manifestation of God, not much more than a suit which God throws on before going out, does that not bring God into a more familiar relationship with man? In that regard, a guardian angel becomes a guardian God. We must ask, is there something to the accounts that swing between the identity of God and the identity of an angel? We complain about cameras at intersections, but check out the secret eye in the following verses.

Ecclesiastes 5:5-6 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?

Above, we see some strange things. You say something to an angel, and God gets angry.

Why? Is the angel a direct circuit to the ear of God? Of course, we are talking about an invisible angel, here, for what man faced with the presence of an angel will not guard his words?

What! Now, they're spying on us? I can't get around the similarity to cameras at intersections. A letter just shows up one day, and it says that you have been recorded in the act of

wrong doing. They have the evidence, they have your license number. They have your address and phone number. Out of the blue, you owe them a couple hundred of dollars. You can't really argue against video; you really don't remember the incident – but, Jeez! You didn't even get the consideration of a heated chase.

It is twice mentioned above that the words a man speaks can have a physical outcome the man will not want. Words cause the flesh to sin, and words can bring all your plans and efforts to naught. My Dad used to have a saying – which I heard quite often – it was: Don't let your mouth overload your ass. Apt words.

In the following verses, we turn our thoughts down two new avenues. The first avenue will be summed up in the difference between 'the' angel and 'an' angel. Down the second avenue, we will see that the angelic nature can also be the nature of God. Only three Biblical entities get the appellation of 'Holy'. We already knew that two of them were God, and, the Holy Ghost. I do not mention Jesus here because the reason he was called holy rested entirely in that God lived within. As to the third appellation, read below.

Acts 10:3, 7, 22 He saw in a vision . . . an angel of God coming in to him . . . And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually; And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.

The communication is still from God, known as Holy and Reverend, the medium is still an angel. How, then is the angel imbued with something that should not belong to a mere manifestation? If an angel is Holy, does that speak of rank? Is that angel the 'glass that became a glass of water'? I open this avenue to the thoughts of fellow seekers.

As to the former avenue, why was this angel only 'an' angel? 'An' seems to convey mediocrity, as in 'any old run of the mill' angel. If this angel was Holy, why not call him 'the' angel? The following verse does describe its angel as 'the' angel.

Isaiah 63:9 In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.

This take is more or less the physical manifestation of God's presence. The interpretation is that God was actually there. The verse refers to the old days when God led Moses by the right hand, when God saved his people. The angel in those days, as we recall, was either fire or cloud; the angel was an elemental manipulation and was recognized as such generations later.

Curiously, the wording of this verse in Isaiah suggests certain aspects of God, and his relationship to man, that need further attention. It is said that God was afflicted with the affliction of the people. In other words, he felt what they felt. When man suffered, God suffered. But, how?

God is not only invisible, he is intangible. He has no flesh and bone; he has no nervous system. Two immediate solutions to that problem are evident to me. Not to say there are only two solutions, but, I present these for consideration. One is that God requires some sort of physical manifestation through which not only to communicate, but to receive input. God feels what man

feels through the angel of his presence.

We, as Christians, are more familiar and at home with the concept of God's suffering son, but who are we to say that God did not suffer? Who are we to say that the first suffering was not a pattern for the second suffering? Innately, we do accept that history repeats. For those of us who accept that Christ is God, we see that God has suffered twice; Christ has suffered twice.

We note, in the relationship between God and man, the second solution to the suffering of an intangible God. It is the spirit – that is to say, the mind. God is spirit, and has placed within man that same quality. We ask, then, is it man that suffers, or spirit? All the angels that surround, support, present, and minister to God may be seen as surrounding, supporting, and ministering to the spirit in man. Angels may also be seen as presenting God to man – or, as I would like you to see it here, presenting spirit to spirit.

The next verse may seem to suggest that angels are only manifestations, and I could have included this reference under 'non-human angelic forms'. I chose to place it here because it suggests human rather than non-human angels. To interpret the verse, one should refrain from viewing the angels as mere chariots. We have already touched on angels as vehicles of God. Here, however, one should rather view the angels as the chariot drivers.

Such a view suggests an army. Indeed, God is said to be the Lord of hosts. This verse is actually support for the humanoid view of angels. If you can compare the charioteers to whatever you may know of worldly armies, you should have a clear picture of the hosts of heaven. In our armies, soldiers are not always geared up. They are not always marching, or shooting, or driving tanks. Sometimes they are just hanging out at camp.

As an aside, I would like to briefly draw attention to the word 'host'. Traditionally, we view this to mean the angelic soldiers of God – his minute men. However, we also are aware that the same word refers to someone possessed. A host houses another identity within itself. In spiritual terms, man is no less a host than the hosts of heaven. I say this because we are possessed by God. There is within man a spiritual identity that is not the same as his physical identity.

Psalms 68:17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.

Again, the next verse is of the fire and cloud angel manifestation. I include it here only to point out the dual nature of an angel of God. To the enemies of God, the angel was darkness, but to the children of Israel it was light. Functionally, it stopped the advance of the Egyptians.

Symbolically, it represents the glory of the Lord being deprived to the enemies of Israel.

Even in our modern day, attitudes can be divided from one person to the next. Picture two men on the street in conversation. One is filled with the glory of the Lord, while the other is filled with darkness. This illustration is made in regard to a person's attitude. A person's attitude affects what he does, what he thinks, what he says to the other person, and what he hears the other person say – or, what he thinks he hears the other person say.

As with the Egyptians, a person filled with darkness is unable to advance. See the darkened Egyptians stopped cold in their tracks.

Exodus 14:19-20 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of

Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

Two things: first is that we may view the darkness of certain people as a deliberate act of God. Here, I include modern people with darkened attitudes. There can be no real argument against this. Some will contend that it is God's fault for them being the way they are – as if they had been just standing there minding their own business. Not true. An enemy is pommeled for a reason.

Second is by way of identification. Briefly, the type to which I refer is the type that wears his heart on his sleeve. According to his nature, he must immediately thrust his argument toward his fellow man. Being thus darkened, he assumes that the things said by those filled with light is as much a thrust toward him. In this regard, those who wear their hearts upon their sleeves are like checker players – they feel compelled to take their jump.

As an example of this, I recently shared with my brother that I had begun studying and writing about angels. He immediately felt compelled to tell me he did not believe in angels. I did not argue the point with him, as I consider myself more of a chess player.

I think both God and his angels are able and prepared to alter both thoughts and events.

To some is dispensed light, to others darkness. Some minds are opened while others are closed, and by such, events are manipulated to the will of God. Note the following account. The angel went before the servant and caused certain events to unfold. Some may argue it was only an opinion associated with good fortune. My answer is that the angel of God's presence need not show himself to be effective.

Genesis 24:7&40 The Lord God of heaven . . . which spake unto me . . . He shall send His angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence. The Lord, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee . . .

The use of 'his' before the word angel implies the genitive or possessive case. This always seems to imply ownership, and as such can ascribe a vehicular nature to the angel, but there is another way to view this, and that is in terms of allegiance. There can be an acute difference between a slave and a servant. 'His angel' may, equally, indicate either ownership or devotion to a cause.

The Hebrew culture, through which so much was written of angels, had a growing experience with the heavenly hosts. From their earliest history, they received communications from God through angels. When someone wrote something new about angels, they not only recorded an encounter, but drew from a deep well of collective experience. When someone had an opinion, or wrote a commentary, it was filtered through many layers of a tightly woven tapestry.

The following verses begin by indicating that long association with angels that fills the well of common experience. It was an experience that ran from the 'first' right up to their present time. The experience indicates that angels were messengers, that pronouncements of punishment were issued through their agency. These verses from the book of Hebrews speak of the nature of humanoid angels.

We get that strong message through comparison. By their vast stores of shared experience, a comparison is made possible; it is made between humanoid angels and a humanoid son of God. Where the comparison connects the two is in the issue of physical death. Now of

course, we immediately realize that physical death and a physical body go hand in hand. One may not experience psychical death without flesh. Two things should pop out at you when you read the verses below: first is that Christ took on a physical body for the express purpose of suffering mortal death, and second is that in the accomplishment of being able to die, Jesus was only a 'little' lower than the angels.

Brother angels have bodies that can react with physical human beings, but they do not suffer mortal death. Both angels and men possess humanoid bodies, but the nature of the angelic flesh is different. Different – yes – I've said it before. They can manipulate matter, why not their own bodies? Well, read – and judge for yourself.

Hebrews 2:2, 3, 5, 9, 16 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak 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 verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

Section Four: Angelic attire. A large percentage of what is written about angel encounters focuses on their appearance. You can read through many texts where people speak about people, and you'll not find mention of their appearance. The difference in these two types of accounts is that angels appeared significantly less mundane than known people.

Sometimes they shined. In most instances, the angels seemed somewhat, though not completely like men. Where something stood out as unusual, that is where the writers went to the extra effort to record it. Let's see – it's kind of like a man, it's really bright, and the eyes are freaky – yeah, I better write this down.

The most common detail in these accounts is what the angels wear. Angelic attire recurs with such regularity that it begs investigation. Angels did not dress in the every day oily rags; tatters were not in fashion for the ascended. What they wore was definitely worth writing about.

We get this from Wikipedia: Linen was sometimes used as currency in ancient Egypt.

Egyptian mummies were wrapped in linen because it was seen as a symbol of light and purity, and as a display of wealth. Some of these fabrics, woven from hand spun yarns, were very fine for their day, but are coarse compared to modern linen.

Daniel 10:5-7, 16 & 18 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen . . . His body also was like the Beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in color to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips . . . Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me.

The writer of the account listed above was not too clear on the man-likeness of the angel,

but he was absolutely certain that it was dressed in linen. That was the first thing the writer wrote. I don't think the angel was trying to make a fashion statement, but linen did speak of a higher tax bracket. Anyone who wore linen had an air of prominence and authority.

Now, back in the day, linen may not have been naturally white. Notably white linen may have involved a lot of extra work. In the following verse, what is noteworthy is mentioned first.

The angelic attire was top quality. The very fact that it was recorded speaks of its remarkability.

It stood out.

John 20:12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

Of course, white may have been deliberately added for its symbolic importance. White signifies purity, white signifies the light from above, white signifies the soul. White equals Holy.

It was a clothing rare enough to merit mention.

Like the verse above, the verse below mentions not a single angel, but a pair of them. I wonder, does that have a correlation to Jesus sending out his apostles in pairs?

Acts 1:10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel.

No particular effort is employed in the description of the clothing, only that it is was clothing. This leads me to believe angels wore the style of the day. Yet, it drew attention. It was memorable. Was the clothing so absolutely white that it reflected the sun? Did the clothing glow rather than reflect?

For that matter, how bright does bright have to be to get noticed? Remember, these people lived out in the sun. A certain level of brightness was common place, and thus taken for granted. Yes, Cornelius was inside his house, but hey, it was the middle of the afternoon.

Acts 10:30 And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing.

This instance is notable for two reasons. First is the fact that Cornelius was awake and busy with the activity of prayer. Second is the description of the angel. It was not like the appearance of a man, but clearly seen and concisely tagged as a man.

Was bright, shining apparel the angelic norm? I have asked whether the apparel reflected or glowed. Following is a verse that suggests glowing. It also supports the thought that normal white clothing took some work, and was a service that required payment. Fullers worked for a living; if you wanted white, you paid for it.

Mark 9:3-8 And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.

I include the clothing of Jesus because he has impressed me as having certain angelic qualities. Glowing, or the brightening of apparel suggests great energy – at the very least, a higher wave length of the visible spectrum.

Beyond that, I am always amazed at this verse because I find it hard to believe that the apostles could recognize Moses and Elijah. There were no pictures to go by. Sure, Moses had a head full of white hair, but he could not have been the only one thus described. And Elijah was a lot like John the Baptist – all that crude hairiness and the leather girdle.

Not to be irreverent, but, if Elijah had been inducted into the halls of glory, would he not have received a white garment to replace the girdle? Crudeness in heaven works against all our preconceptions – at least, give the man a wax!

At any rate, angels glow just like Jesus. Even dead patriarchs and prophets shine in some accounts. What I want to ask here is this: is it the shining apparel that causes the people of old to assume they have had an angelic encounter? Are shining clothes just that, or are they something so out of the ordinary that the writers could not help but interpret the encounter as angelic?

I have cast about in my mind for clothing that might shine without necessarily having to glow. I don't mean to go all alien gray here, but a space suit does come to mind. There are specialized suits today that are plasticized, or made of shiny synthetics that would fit the bill.

However, clothing that covered the whole body would have warranted inclusion into the written account. Clothing that covered the legs were not commonly worn in those days. So, here is another account of a pair of men with clothing that was bright and shiny. It is a question to bear in mind: did they say what they said based on the clothing?

Luke 24:4, 5 & 23 Two men stood by them in shining garments: And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.

A clear picture of what angels wore would be just peachy. While we wait for that revelation, our next verse at least shows us that there was variety in their attire. Being from the book of Revelation, we keep in mind that the accounts could have been from trance states or dreams. Yet, even in a dream, an angel appeared either as a man or like a man. They were clothed usually in glorious white linen.

The following verses describe angels wearing girdles. Maybe They let Elijah keep his girdle, after all. On close inspection of these verses, we see clearly that they are girdles unlike our preconceptions. They don't go around the belly at all. They are, in fact, more like vests, in that they go around the chest area. They are reminiscent of the vest of priests.

One very off the wall thought is that these were female angels. What ever the case, the girdles were very lavish, for they seemed to be of gold. Or, perhaps it was only a yellow linen that glowed.

Revelation 15:1 & 6 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.

So, angels wear girdles. What was the significance of these attachments? Back in the day, their significance may have been readily understood. For the rest of us, we may have a clue in the fact that the seven angels came out from the temple.

The temple is where one finds God. Note that there were seven angels, and resist the urge to generalize them under the notion that Hebrews invoked the number seven to indicate

completeness. Think, rather, of the seven spirits or minds of God. Note, also, the character of the angels. These angels did not carry vials, or any other object for that matter, that could have been 'filled'. These angels only had the plagues. What we see is that the angels were filled with the wrath of God. We see angry angels intent on righting wrongs.

That may be one of the more telling aspects of the nature of angels – that they can be filled with the character of God. That character can be wrath or benevolence, but the angels take it upon themselves in a very personal manner.

When people describe a garment as being white as snow, that is something we can get our minds around. We know what snow looks like; we know how white it is. The whiteness of snow can be photographed; it can be scientifically measured. In the following account where two women witness an angel, snow white clothing is just a part of the encounter.

The angel seen by Magdalene and the other Mary was described as lightning. Does that mean the angelic skin was brighter than the clothing? Lightning is pretty bright. Is a time frame indicated, as if the angel flashed, leaving behind an after-image in the eyes of the witnesses?

The rolling away of the stone was recorded in association to an earthquake. Was the earthquake responsible? Should we associate the bright appearance of the angel to the earthquake? Do angels always glow when they manipulate matter? As I recall, there was also an earthquake at the death of Jesus. Did invisible angels cause that earthquake? Here it is.

Matthew 28:1-5 The angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: Of course, the power involved in a resurrection could possibly be the cause of both lightning and a stone-rolling quake. Since we know that lightning actually travels from the ground to the sky, in direct strikes, we might easily attribute an angel sitting on the stone to the after image of a direct strike. I once saw a transformer blow; the after image was bright, and lasted quite a while.

But, lightning does not speak. In the encounter, the angel spoke to the two women.

Interestingly, what the angels said indicates a close relationship between men and angels. The angel called Jesus 'the Lord'.

God is quoted as saying “ I am the Lord, that is my name”. Both men and angels worship Christ as Lord.

Not all angels wear linen, it seems. Our next reference points to an angels dressed in a cloud. Now, right off the bat, we recall the angel of the Lord that the Israelites knew for forty years. By night, that angel was a column of fire, but by day a column of cloud.

This mighty angel of Revelation, clothed with a cloud, seems very nearly an elemental apparition. Does the cloud clue us in as to the rank of the angel? Does the inclusion of the rainbow indicate the color of the cloud? At first, I thought of rainbows associated to dark rain clouds. Then I thought of rainbows as following the rain; they come after the storm and are seen against a clearing sky, with background cumulus so high as to reflect tall the brightness of the sun.

Of course, the rainbow may be the symbol of God's promise to man never again to destroy us with a flood. That being the case, the inference might be that destruction by fire is near. Indeed, the feet are as pillars of fire – and feet, as we know, are what touch the Earth.

Pillars of fire are also reminiscent of God in the Exodus accounts. I am even inclined to associate this vision with the vision of Ezekiel.

Revelation 10:1 & 7 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

As to something coming down from heaven, the feet would be seen first, and seem to be more prominent than the head. One would need to look up into the bright sky. A landing space craft might appear like pillars of fire, with the body of the ship shrouded in smoke, and refracted sunlight encircling the top of the craft. I'm not saying that is what it was; it's just a thought.

There have been certain recurring aspects to the accounts listed in this section of the study. The angels are either tagged as men, or like men. They dress in linen, an expensive fabric of the day. The linen is either very white, shiny, or else it glows. Often the appearance of the flesh, eyes, and hair is changed to match the glowing of the apparel. It is taken from most of the accounts that the 'mighty' angels are impressive, even troubling.

Lastly, just like those young men armed with bikes, backpacks, and ties, the angels travel in pairs. There may be an edict that lesser endowed angels may not go into the Earth alone. It can be dangerous down here. Recall that some angels have been wrestled by men, and the men got the upper hand.

Angels interact with one another, while men are allowed in on the conversation. Some ask questions, while others answer, or approach God for a decision. The writers cannot help but be drawn in; it is a dynamic enactment.

Daniel 12:5-7 There stood other two, And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? . . . he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven.

Now, we know that linen was expensive. Rarely do we read of men dressed in linen, although we assume the rich were so clothed. Even in accounts of royalty, or men of high station, writers of the Bible seemed not to care what people wore; it was enough that they were dressed.

In accounts of angel encounters, the wearing of linen seems important enough a matter to mention, so I ask this: what divides men from angels?

Mark 14:51-52 And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.

It may seem a stretch to consider the young man an angel, but I think the mention of linen is not as often used for men as it is for angels. Still, the young man could have been the rich man who sold all to follow Christ. We might be tempted to think that if it was an angel, the angel should have had the mastery and not the young men. However, in certain other accounts, angels have been wrestled to the ground.

Why I mention this is because it follows closely on the heels of Christ's prayer in the

garden. Christ was having a hard time during the prayer, and an angel came to minister to him in some way. As we slide effortlessly into our next section, where we consider the actual work that angels do, we accept the possibility that the angel remained for a while. We accept the possibility that the angel may have rushed in to further assist.

Section Five: The work of angels. We see, in the following verses, The prayer in the garden.

We see that an angel appeared to Jesus. We take note that Jesus was in physical distress, and the possibility existed that he might have failed in his prayer. The work of the angel in this instance was to strengthen. To begin our exploration of the work of angels, we want to zero in on that particular word.

Our first consideration of what angels do is in regard of their service to the Lord. We see that here. Our inquiry, at this point, requires of us that we see Jesus in a particular light – not as Jesus only, but as God in a man. With that requirement in place, and settled, we may ask the proper questions. Take a look at the verses.

Luke 22:43-44 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

So, who was the angel strengthening? If God, we must consider that the flesh, or the agony, in some way hindered the completion of the prayer. God was in the man, but not to a sufficient degree. If the angel was strengthening God, that might work out as the angel adding more God to God. What if the angel was strengthening the flesh. We might interpret the verse in this way: 'and he prayed the more earnestly because the agony was closing in'. He was about to faint. Since he was in prayer, we can be pretty certain the angel was not offering encouraging words.

Was there a transference of physical energy from the angel to the body of Jesus? Was there a real sacrifice on the angel's part for his Lord? Did the angel deplete his own energy to a point where he needed to lie down and rest? Could there have been such a significant transfer that the angel lost his angelic nature, and became human?

Let's look at an angel's service to the invisible God. What we will note in the following verses is that the nature of the angel holds a clue as to the angel's work. We see an angel on a mission. We see an angel who is fully authorized to speak and act for God. This is an angel one needs to approach with a high degree of respect, even with a fear of the Lord, for God is actually in the angel. The name of God is in the angel, and that is more than just a vocalized tag. Anything God was known to do, that was his name. If God punished sinners, that was his name. If God destroyed the enemy, that was his name.

This was a mission that we read about; it may have a time line or schedule; it is a mainline thrust forward, and not a time for other issues. The small details will have to be sorted out later. Read it here.

Exodus 23:20-23 Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for My name is in him. But if

thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. For mine Angel shall go before thee and I will cut them off.

The angel is fully authorized to speak directly to the people. He would have been giving explicit instructions: 'go right', 'turn left', etc. If he said 'jump', you should not even ask how high – just get froggy. We see here that obedience to the voice of the angel is exactly equal to obedience to the voice of God. What we should get from the above is that whatever an angel is sent to do, he is given the wherewithal to get the job done. That runs from the smallest ability right up to being made into a sort of mini-God. Of particular interest in the verses just covered is the manner in which God describes the angel. He forewarns the people to 'beware' of the angel. Have you ever passed a house with a 'beware of angel' sign posted out front? Me neither. God forewarns the people not to 'provoke' the angel. This is not the patient spiritual guide that bleeding hearts prefer, but a being you just don't want to mess with.

An angel that is authorized to destroy can be very scary. He wields a power that is beyond all mundane complaint. Envision a real being who has been empowered to destroy simply by stretching out his hand. Are you going to get in front of the hand, or stand behind the angel? You are pretty much helpless to do anything but stand and watch.

2 Samuel 24:16-17 When the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the Lord was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite. And David spake unto the Lord when he saw the angel that smote the people.

We see two things in these verses. One is that God does command evil; two is that angels perform the will of God even for evil. We are not here to raise the complaints of atheists, we simply accept that good and evil are both under God's jurisdiction. Evil, as a concept, is not an objective universal constant. It is highly subjective, and never the same. Evil can be anything a person does not like. Destruction of the masses, disease and plague, crop failure and drought, a hang nail, or even an annoying message. The parameters of evil have a sliding scale from the miniscule to the colossal.

What we want to pick up on, here, is that when God says destroy, the angel destroys; when God says stop, the angel stops. We cannot presume to say that God is wrong because of our prejudiced attachment to the human body. The importance we place on such concepts may be ours alone.

The same report is given in another book. With the new report, we have new words to consider. The new report adds the possibility that what David saw was a vision. I say this because the destruction is mentioned in the light of what we commonly call natural disasters. The sword of the Lord is called pestilence. The angel of the Lord is not just stretching out his hand; there is sword in his hand.

The angel hovered in the sky, far up and away. What was in the angel's hand may only have been assumed to be a sword. If not a vision, but some other-worldly being, the weapon could have been a laser-rifle.

Lastly, we see both God and the angel doling out commands: God to the angel, and the angel to Gad. The work of destruction is neither capricious, nor a full-throttle non-stop punishment. It seems tuned, as a radio has a tuner, as a radio has an on/off switch and a volume control. The shaping of society lies between demolition and construction. Can you see it?

1 Chronicles 21:12, 15-18 & 27 The sword of the Lord, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the Lord beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the Lord stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then the angel of the Lord commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and set up an altar unto the Lord in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite. And the Lord commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof.

Now, we've seen angels serve God, and we've seen angels serve Christ. The ministry of angels, as we have seen, can be positive or negative – depending on the need. What we notice in the following verses is that angels also minister to men who serve God. Peter's angel not only shows us that work, but points to the power by which the work is done. All the angel has to do is get Peter up, and dressed, and out. After that is accomplished, the angel immediately disappears. There are no parting words; he is just gone – which tells us an angel's work has limitations. The angel seemed rude and without manners; he simply did his job and left.

As to the power involved, the gate seemed to open on its own, plus the locked shackles just opened up and fell off. We see again the manipulation of matter by an angel. We wonder at the brevity of the work, however. Was there only enough power given for a bare-bones rescue?

Was there a time restraint?

I have lumped some verses together to give the reader a sense not only of the work, but of common thought in regard to angels. When you read the verses, keep in mind that Peter was being rushed; he had barely enough time to react to the commands given him. This he accomplished as he was waking from sleep. He thought he was dreaming.

Then, there was mad Rhoda. She told them Peter was outside, but they had supposed they might never receive him again from his imprisonment. Did they consider the voice as a ghost of dead Peter? That would have been a likely and common consideration. No. They called Peter an angel. That is, by itself, an extremely telling clue as to the relationship between men and angels.

Even at that time, men considered at least the human servants of God and Christ to ascended upon death – to become angels. Here it is.

Acts 12:7-11, 15 & 21-23 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and

forthwith the angel departed from him. And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, And they said unto her, Thou art mad.

But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel. And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. And the people gave a shout, saying, it is the voice of a god, and not of a man. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

In contrast to Peter's angel, we take note of the angel that attended Herod. It is an angel of destruction again, but here, we want to look at how the evil played out. We also want to make a mental note that the destruction of this hated leader is not recorded as evil. In this fact, we see the subjectivity of the concept of evil.

The angel destroyed Herod, but why not the people who had not given God the glory?

Yes, Herod should have said to them, “No, give glory to God�, but he stood silent. However, it was not Herod who said 'it is the voice of a god', but the people.

Was this singular act of destruction meant to punish one man or warn the people? Had they really thought Herod's voice was that of a god, or were they simply kowtowing for fear of the power he wielded? One thing seems clears, if the act was meant to warn the people, it would only be effective if it all played out before their eyes. If he got sick, and later died, the lesson would have been lost. Out of sight, out of mind.

A final thought on the death of Herod: I feel quite sure that if the people had been destroyed by the angel, that would have been recorded as evil.

So, angels minister to God, to Christ, and to the likes of such godly men as Peter. Angels also direct, and help the common man in the making of appropriate decisions. It matters less how the angel appears than the result achieved by the angel. When it is critical that a right decision be made, the agency of an angelic prod in the right direction is called for.

Joseph dreamed an angel, but that does not relegate the angel to unimportance, as a construct of Joseph's mind. The higher make use of the lower, not the other way around.

A critical decision was at stake. Imagine if Joseph put Mary away. Jesus would not be received. There is even the possibility, although Joseph would put her away quietly, that the matter came out despite his caution. Mary might have been stoned, and Jesus never born.

The angel, here, ministered to Joseph indirectly; it was actually Jesus the angel served, but there is an intriguing detail to these verses that goes beyond the positive action of the angel.

Read them closely. Pay attention to the wording. The father of Christ, said to be God, is actually the Holy Ghost. God and the Holy Ghost are the same.

Matthew 1:20 & 24 The angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife.

Please note that even in a dream the importance, rank, or allegiance of an angel can become dramatically focused by the substitution of a single word. The angel in Joseph's dream, both above and below, was no run of the mill angel. Just any old angel would never do in the critical service administered to to the Lord while in mortal danger. This angel was 'the' angel of the Lord. For all we know, he could have been the same angel that attended Moses.

However, when the danger is past, and all is calm, and the coast is clear, it is as if 'the' angel passes the buck to 'an' angel of lesser station. Focus on the way in which 'the' angel addressed Joseph. He did not say 'thus sayeth the Lord', the angel, on his own and with his own words, did the bidding. He said to Joseph, 'I will tell you when to leave.' It is true that when 'an' angel came to Joseph, he also spoke as the first, and could well have been the first, in which case, we might begin to think that men really couldn't tell one angel from another, or didn't care.

Matthew 2:13 & 19 The angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt.

There was of old, more or less, a concept of what an angel was and what an angel did.

You dreamed of a man. What made you identify that figure as an angel? I suppose people talked about angels back then. A sort of common knowledge may have been present. What they looked like, what they dressed in, all may have been voiced at one time or another.

Still, a man looks like a man. An angel has an air of superiority in some sense. If your dream is just a man, how would he distinguish himself as an angel? Well, he might Identify himself. He might speak for God on some issue – but then, so might a prophet. But, the man in your dream says that he is God. Why then a dream tagged as angelic? Maybe that many believed they would die if they saw God. An angel is the vehicle and messenger of God. He is authorized to speak for God. If, by that authority, the angel says I am God, he may simply be executing his appointed office. Well, here it is; you can judge for yourself.

Genesis 31:11-13 And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me.

The angel is involved in the task of communication. We are talking about spirits. Does it matter if a spirit appears in a dream or vision? Physical proof of a spiritual being may be a dead end. Sure they appear in flesh too, but that is not the real issue. The real issue is the message. The real issue is the communication from God. Communication is key.

Zechariah 4:1, 4 & 5 and 5:5 & 10 The angel that talked with me.

Angels are associated with acts and works of power, as seen in the following verse where an angel broke the apostles out of jail. Locked doors opened before him.

Acts 5:19-20 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.

In looking through the instances where an angel of the Lord is mentioned, one will see that there are slightly more instances related to communication than to acts of power. Sometimes, the message comes with the act of power attached. See below.

1 Kings 19:5-7 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baked on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.

Now, personally, I see the cake and cruse appearing in a flash – but one should not rule out the possibility that the angel set the fire, cooked the meal, and poured the drink.

Whatever the case, it seems that mankind is the business of angels. They are like ascendant social workers. They give us what we need in the hour of our need, but they don't just throw goodies in our direction. There are guidelines and protocols.

I have on occasion, had to deal with social workers. The food stamp people gave away stamps and cards that allowed me to buy groceries, but the amount was adjusted to my assets.

The work force people gave away jobs, but they limited me to a profile, and were not as concerned with what I wanted as with what I could actually do.

The following verse is indicative of angelic social work. Check it out.

Matthew 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

The following verses also show angels in a concerted effort on the behalf of their leadership. They may be viewed in the light of social work, but here, we are not limited to that particular view. We may also view this group of angels like a police force attempting to evacuate residents before a catastrophe strikes. We may even see them as cowboys gathering cattle for the long drive to market. They stand ready for the task, but they are just as in the dark about the actual time as are we.

Interestingly, the elect are widely scattered. The elect will be found in all directions on the Earth, and the wording also hints at elect living in space. People in space, beyond our present tin-can space station, may not be a real option for quite some time.

Mark 13:27 & 32 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

I would like to compare the common work of angels to a common work of man – a work in which many differing individuals come together in a focused team to achieve specific goals.

N.A.S.A. is what comes to mind. I recall many movies that depict the concerted work of that group, and I must rely to some extent on the character of that group as depicted, since I have never actually been there in person to see for myself.

Hallmarks of most of the movie depictions of N.A.S.A. are the hand clapping, and cheering, and weeping tears of joy, and hugging the guy in the next station when something goes right. When a problem is solved, when the worst case scenario doesn't actually happen, when even the mundane occurrence goes according to schedule, there is joy in command central.

With that in mind, read the following.

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

Too much focus is placed on the individual angel. Later, this study will explore angelic society in more detail, so, it is wise to give some thought to the work that angels do in groups.

Among other things, angelic society has an army.

An army operates by a chain of command. The various divisions within an army must work together with precision. Everything one might find in armies of the world might also be found in the army on high. We can use our own terms and descriptions comparatively.

A telling fact about the society of angels may be how large their army is. In the following verse Jesus indicates a number that could have approached 75,000 individuals, and that was not the entire army. See the angelic minute men of Matthew.

Matthew 26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

Let's look at one of the jobs slated for the heavenly host. We begin with a sense of their plurality, but to get a better sense of that we must judge the field of operation. The larger the field, the more workers are hired. Try to imagine the world with a maxed out capacity of all that is wrong and bad. That will take quite a few angels. They will be an impressive force, and will come threshing with extreme prejudice. Just because they are angels, that does not mean it will be a picnic. The bad guys will go kicking and screaming. There will be a lot of running, and crying, and cursing, and blubbering, and pleading, and rolling of heads.

Matthew 13:39, 41, & 49 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just.

Now, there are many in the world who complain about a loving and forgiving God. Why would they do that? Because they are willful beings, and God punishes willfulness. They hope to rationalize, and justify their behavior, and choices, but it won't fly. The Same God that destroyed whole cultures in the old testament, is the God that forgives in the new: Jesus. The complainers cannot argue them apart. The same God that stands ready to forgive and forget, also stands ready to give them a good thrashing (threshing).

2 Thessalonians 1:7 When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels.

On the other hand, it might only take a few good angels to lay the Earth low. One mighty angel can start a chain of events that can wipe out millions. Check out the heavenly marines of Revelation.

Revelation 16:1-5, 8, 10, 12 & 17 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth And the

second angel poured out his vial upon the sea And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters And I heard the angel of the waters say, And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air.

Seven angels, seven vials, seven plagues – are they dropped on the world all at once, or are the plagues sequential? Whole generations will be wiped from the face of the Earth. We see literal hosts massed for mass extinction; we see mighty champions engaged in eradication, but are these merely hired hands? The following suggests another view.

Exodus 34:5-7 The Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

What we see in Exodus, above, is an angel called the Lord proclaiming another angel called the Lord. One stood near Moses while another passed before him. The passing angel also proclaimed the Lord. Now, if God in the burning bush was actually an angel, this interpretation of Moses' other encounter seems less far fetched.

The Lord, may not be another individual, as in another angel or even a separate deity, but rather a deistic quality shared among angels. The Lord may be short for the description that follows in the angel's proclamation – that is: mercy, grace, long suffering, abundant goodness and truth, etc. The Lord might here be viewed as a creed shared and practiced among members of an ascendant society.

These verses are used by many to illustrate an unsavory aspect about God. Some protest that a God who punishes children for the faults of their fathers is a mean and spiteful individual.

They see in these verses an application of guilt by lineage. I see something altogether different.

I see guilt, not as secondary, but as primary. The practices of sin are taught to children, who in turn pass it on to their children. Innocent people are not being punished, only the 'guilty'.

Each person is guilty at a level of individual accountability, and will be punished for their own sins.

Now, just who are these angels that will judge mankind? Let's take a look at a verse from John that will give us a radically new view. Look closely.

John 1:51 Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

We see the angels of God going in two different directions, and yet, their separate destinations are the same: “upon the Son of man”. So, how does that work? For us to see this 'Son of man' as the same person, we need a 'from' and a 'to'. What we have, however, is wording that suggests two separate destinations.

Jesus said that heaven would appear to open, but it does not necessarily follow that the angels would either come from there, or go to it. Jesus may have meant something totally radical

by his expression; heaven opening might possibly refer to a heavenly revelation: that is, a spiritual revelation. His continuation about angelic traffic may be the explanation of the revelation.

Something will be opened up to mankind; something will be revealed. Will it be a 'Son of man' enabling of the individual? Will it be a realizable connection between man and God? Will it be the creed that is shared and practiced among ascendant beings?

Our next verse gives us an explanation of the covenant of faith, which was given to man long before the law was put into play. What should we know about that covenant? It was 'of' God (and 'of' can be here viewed the same as 'by'), it was also a covenant of inheritance, that through death something should be passed on. Before the law, God's relationship to man was 'in' Christ, that is, in the hand of a mediator between God and man, and that mediator would also be a descendent of the man to whom the promise was given.

Most important to our study of the works of angels, the inheritance, the covenant of promise, was ordained 'by' angels. Now, who are angels that they may ordain anything? Let us see the definition of the word.

To invest officially (as by the laying on of hands) with ministerial or priestly authority, to establish or order by appointment, decree, or law, to enact, to destine or foreordain, to issue an order.

Galatians 3:19 It was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

We should look very closely at just what is being said here. In order to appoint or establish, there must be authority. Earlier, in verse 17, the act that is here 'by' angels is 'of' God. This lends support to the sense, already received, of God as a quality that ascendant beings are infused with, as a creed they shared.

Let us say, for the sake of this argument, that the scenario involves a group of angels who establish a pact with mankind. A mediator, one of their group, is foreordained and invested with priestly authority by the laying on of hands. This official decree and enactment must carry the weight of authority. From where does that authority originate?

Are they a single, authorized unit? Do they convene from their separate realms of authority? Was there debate beforehand? Was there a vote? One thing is sure: my view of what an angel may be is not as narrow as it once was.

Now that I have angels and God all mixed up, I might as well through in the redeemer for good measure. It is dawning on me that angels may be a society of ascendant beings, caretakers of mankind. It seems they may share an authority among them, a creed, and also a mind-set, that is the very definition of the character of and nature of God. It appears also within their realm of jurisdiction to pardon and save. See the ever expanding work of angels in Genesis.

Genesis 48:16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil.

Let us assume, for the moment, that Jesus was that ordained mediator, and that he was one of the council that convened to hammer out the finer points of human history. He was chosen because he had practical experience in redemption. Judging where he may have come from, a sound study would focus on his wording for clues to veiled truths.

Consider the words he chooses to use in his parables.

Luke 16:22 The beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom.

Jesus indicates a work of angels. This may be a whole division unto themselves – a sort of transportation guild. They might transport all the dead, or they may be refined, and their duties limited to one type of dead, or a single direction.

It is clear I never caught this before, but why wasn't the beggar transported to heaven?

Why did Jesus choose the expression 'Abraham's bosom'? Aside from indicating consciousness after death, to what does it refer? Some might call it heaven, some might call it paradise, some might see it as a comfortable waiting room in hell.

The expression was prevalent in Jesus day, and, as many references explain it, comes from the custom of reclining at meals – hence John resting his head on Jesus' bosom.

As a concept, Abraham's bosom is a place all faithful Jews may rest their heads – it is a place of honor shared by all the righteous, and it refers directly to the covenant of promise, the preordained 'seed', and mediation.

The mediator, aside from being the chosen one, may have, in the process of being chosen, received the top spot and full authority within the group that chose him. He may direct the angels in the administration of the covenant. Not only the guild of transporters is under his direct authority, but also the guild of guardians.

Psalms 91:11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

Now, some descriptions of angelic works afford a better view of the nature of angelic constitution. Jesus speak, again, in the following verse about angelic works, and again, we owe it to the study to pay close attention to the words he chose to use.

In the following verse, Jesus iterates that the guardians of children ( although this may not be limited to this particular branch) are physically (in the angelic sense of the word) able to be in two places at once. While they guard their charge on Earth, they also 'behold the face' of the father of Jesus. Check it out.

Matthew 18:10 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.

Of course, my take is not the only take. 'Their angels' could refer not to guardian angels so much as to the personae of the children – whether present or future.

Apart from that, there is the expression 'behold the face' which may have a meaning other than its face value implies. Jesus implied elsewhere that an association with God is limited. No man has ever seen God – and if the only begotten is the only one to declare God, then the angels might share in that begotten nature.

Similarly, Christ also indicated that no has ascended but the one who came down. That speaks clearly of a former condition as well as an expected condition. But, according to his own words, Christ was presently in that condition – that is: connected. Beholding the face of God the father, being begotten of that father in in a connection that transcends time may be an angelic staple of the ascendant.

Jesus is described as being in the 'bosom' of God, which may be what the expression 'the bosom of Abraham' is based on. God, heaven, paradise – these might be alternate words for a

connection that the angels guard and maintain.

Next. Angels that chase and persecute. An angelic SWAT team. The militaristic aspects of an ascendant society must not be overlooked. Anyone who has authority, requires enforcement.

Scripture depicts the army of God: those who enforce his will.

Whenever something is beyond our power, we turn to those who are able to enforce. We have a saying: 'where's a cop when you need one?' We willingly leave certain tasks to certain enforcement bodies: police, Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, etc. We do so because we recognize that certain things are, simply, beyond our capacity. The psalmist expressed such a sentiment in the following verses: it wasn't his job; it was beyond his reach; best to leave it to the proper authorities.

Psalms 35:5 & 6 Let the angel of the Lord chase them. . . and let the angel of the Lord persecute them.

Being the proper authorities, angels need to interact with physical men. To do so, they require their own physical bodies. If they are regularly non-physical, then they must transport themselves from that realm to our realm. In the following verses, we see angels as very physical.

They are able to eat our food, push and pull us with their hands, talk to us with their mouths. In almost all respects, they appear and function as physical men. But there is power with them that is not with us.

In the first place, they are able to move between physical and non-physical realms. They can alter their constitution. Secondly, they can not only transport themselves in mysterious ways, but they can take hold on physical man and put him where he was not. Read the verses that follow, then tell me that doesn't seem like an episode of Star Trek. “Four to beam up”.

Genesis 19:1-3&5; 10,15&16 There came two angels at even . . . and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them . . . And he said, “Behold now, my lords, turn in . . . and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways.” and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat. The men (angels) put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house . . . and shut . . . the door. . .the angels hastened Lot . . . while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters . . . and set him without the city.

It also sounds like special Ops performing an extraction. I wonder just how many branches and divisions there are to the heavenly host. However, soldiers don't always have soldiering to do. There is down time. Soldiers learn to 'hurry up and wait'. They often stop and pitch their tents.

Psalms 34:7 The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

I wonder what they do during those inactive periods. Is there an angelic mess where angel food is prepared? Do angels have pass times? Does the heavenly host engage in 'shop talk'?

So, they sit around awhile, take care of personal maintenance – whatever – then the word goes around: they have orders. They prepare to move out, and do their angel army thing. Smiter's battalion, take the lead! Forward march!

2 Chronicles 32:21 The Lord sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria.

One angel. He cut off the entire camp. Imagine that. But – what if that one angel was the captain of a host? What if he gave a command, and his soldiers came creeping around rocks, from behind trees, or from under camouflage?

How an event is worded is key to our study. The previous account of the demise of the Assyrian camp offered us only 'an' angel. A rewritten account of the same event offers more of a finger hold. The wording comes nearer to naming the angel; it is the 'angel of the Lord'. Given this wording, we wonder if this was the same angel of the Lord that did some smiting in the land of Egypt.

2 Kings 19:35 The angel of the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand.

The verses which follow give an indication of an angels with angels under him. It gives an indication of the division of labor among angels. In that only one of the angels wore linen, it indicates divisions by rank. What we see is a crew of smiters, but, we also see a sort of processing in which the lines between the military and social workers is blurred.

Many people are no doubt disturbed at the reading of this scripture. They ask in alarm, “what is God doing; what is he thinking, to kill women and children”?

The answer lies in the type of individual who received the mark. Those individuals were the ones, out of an entire multitude, who showed any evidence of possessing the spirit that God was after. It is the work of a spiritual God looking for a particular spirit in man. It is similar to a garden owner telling the workers to weed out every flower and weed save the yellow rose.

Aside from the usual lament of the bleeding heart, there is something in these verses that needs to be noticed. It is that the crew of angels who actually perform the leg work of the mission are called men. They are physical and able to interact physically. They are special crew trained just for this kind of mission, and equipped with weapons suitable for a slaughter.

And lastly, before you read the verses, think on the word that was chosen: 'slaughter'. A man with surplus livestock will, at the appropriate time, perform a slaughter. What will he hold back? Which ones will he spare? He will spare the best ones, the ones in which he sees qualities that make his holdings valuable.

Ezekiel 9:1-7 He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand. And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar. And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer's inkhorn by his side; And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.

And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house. And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city.

Speaking of processing, the verses that follow show us something that is of a similar nature. Instead of the herds being thinned and culled, we see the harvest of the field. In the following description we see elements that were comparable to farming back in the day. The owner presided over the whole affair while the workers performed the duties – each duty in its own place and time.

In a harvest there are two matters of interest. First is the hoped for item; the crop is gathered and stored for two reasons. Second is all that is unwanted or not as useful; this is gathered and burned for two reasons.

In the verses below, we see mention of two sickles. One is the sickle of the owner, the one who initiates the harvest, but we also see a lesser sickle wielded by one who is in charge of the grunt work. Another is seen who is in charge of the fire.

As to the reasons, the harvest is stored for use and for reseeding the field. The fire is stoked not only to clear the refuse of the field, but for the comfort and celebration of the workers.

Revelation 14:6, 8-10, 14, 15 & 17-19 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth.

In reading the verses above, we took note of the teamwork and communication among the angels. Before that, we saw angels with crews and angels with troops. In most of the accounts, thus far, we have noted that angels work in teams more so than singly.

That fact alone should alter our perception of what we read. If we read of 'an' angel, we should now be mindful that other angels, although not mentioned, are at work behind the scenes.

Numbers 20:16 We cried unto the Lord, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt.

How many forming nations have been attended by the quiet work of unrecorded angels?

How many decisive battles have angels attended? How many unexpected and surprising turning points in history have angels labored over? How many key historical figures have angels guided?

With the exodus from Egypt, we usually note the angel that was the pillar of fire and cloud, but how many unseen angels gathered birds and manna to rain on Israel?

There may be many occupations among the angels, and within each there may be many specialized ranks or divisions. We see a sort of turnkey angel in the following two verses. From this we may imagine that there is more than a jailer, but a police force, a court system, and even attorneys.

Revelation 20:1-2 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years.

Other matters are brought to mind in the two verses we just read. One matter is time. The verses suggest periods of inactivity that last a thousand years. Are such periods countered by thousand year periods of activity? I am reminded, here, of the expression, “a movement and a rest�. As I recall, the book of Revelation mentions a thousand year reign of the New Jerusalem, while the devil is inactive, after which the devil is set free. Will that freedom last a thousand years?

Another matter is the direction of the angel. The devil and his army were cast into the Earth. They were supposedly buried under a mountain. The angel with the key has to come 'down' in order to maintain the bottomless pit. I mention this in regard to an angels ability to become a physical being. These verses suggest an ability to manipulate ascendency.

There are many angels in many fields of work. Few of them rate the mention of a name.

Of those who are named, we may assume a measure of leadership. The importance of named angels can be inferred by their core position. There seems to be an inner circle, or a council of mighty angels, that are closer to God than the rest. One such named angel has had encounters with humans like any regular angel might, so what merits the special treatment? Gabriel seems to have had human encounters on a level of historical significance.

He does not show up often, but when he does something important is in the works. He spoke to the mother of Christ, but some six hundred years earlier, he also spoke to the prophet Daniel. Angels may be long-lived, but is that due to thousand year periods of inactivity?

Luke 1:11, 12, 19, 26-30 & 38 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me

according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

What I find particularly interesting, in the verses above, is Gabriel's assertion that he 'stands' in the presence of God. He was, more or less, physically present with Zacharias when he said that. Can it be said of the inner circle, that wherever they may be, they are still in the presence of God? Gabriel didn't just drop by to say hello to Mary. In what he said to her were the words “the Lord is with thee�. Was that simply, for us, an indication that Gabriel was still in the presence of God? Or – might it be that Gabriel brought the presence of God to Mary? Were his words an invocation of some sort? It could well be that the working of the spirit, by which Mary was impregnated, was initiated by the power and skill of that ascended being.

Gabriel is also responsible for the initiation of Daniel's spiritual activation. Could that have been by a similar invocation, and of his bringing the presence of God with him? Gabriel touched Daniel. Was that just to get his attention, or was something transmitted? Without disrespect, I also wonder if Gabriel touched Mary?

Daniel 9:21-22 Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.

Now, Gabriel, being an angel, is usually pictured as a being with wings. Angels, in general, are pictured with wings. However, the descriptions of angels in the Bible do not incorporate wings, but give to the angels wholly human attributes.

The verses above, show us a flying Gabriel. There are two ways to see these verses. One is that Gabriel did his flying during Daniel's vision.

Two is that Gabriel flew without wings. When people saw Jesus ascended into heaven, they saw a physical body without wings rise above the ground. If Jesus had sprouted wings in order to fly, I'm quite certain they would have considered that fact worthy of report. Jesus also walked on water, defying gravity or controlling it, without the aid of wings.

The work of angels does not even require the entire angel sometimes. There is an account of a floating hand (defying gravity without the aid of wings) in the following verses. It may not have even been the whole hand. Consider what one might see if an angel was able to reach out from the ascendent realm into ours, as through a hole.

Daniel 5:5-6 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.

Angels may be seen in whole and in part. In fact, an angel could be standing right in front of you; so, why don't you see him? Is there something wrong with your physical eyes? Is your brain not firing correctly? You are a thinking, reasoning, rational being with scientific anchors into reality, and yet, the donkey sees more than you do.

Numbers 22:22-35 God's anger was kindled . . . and the angel of the Lord stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, And the ass saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way. But the angel of the Lord stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side. And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again. And the angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff. And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee. And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay. Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face. And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me: And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive. And Balaam said unto the angel of the Lord, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again. And the angel of the Lord said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

Cool story. Yet, if you or I heard an animal speak, we would dismiss it as confusion on our part. Balaam answers the donkey as if it spoke to him every day. I can understand the mindset that would answer an ass. I have been so enraged at inanimate objects, things I've tripped over and items that seem to resist my will with a will of their own, that I have cursed them vehemently, as if they could understand. What is cool about the story is that angels can manipulate not only the matter of their own bodies, but anyone and anything around them.

Seems they can even humble our proud rational, scientifically inclined minds, use our own natures against us so that we admit to the truths we resist out of hand.

The work of angels encompasses two realms: the worldly realm of man, and the spiritual realm of God. Angels attend both, and they attended both in one in Christ. Now, angels can make donkeys talk and birds feed prophets. The wild animals are no problem to beings with manipulative powers. The rational mind of man would be concerned, to say the least, about those wild animals. The scientifically inclined would say that it is scientifically proven that wild teeth and claws are sharp, and their owners ferocious. The worldly mind of man is a limited mind.

Where is the mind of faith that can meet the angels half-way?

Mark 1:13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.

Angels attend men of all walks, but the angels that attend God may be of a special order,

a higher rank. Even in an ascendant society, there must be diversification. We may assume that there is a low end, and a high end. No assumption is required about the work of Christ – that he strove to bring in man. From the creation, man has been worked toward an inclusion into the ascendant society. Christ came not only preaching it, but he came as an example of it.

Matthew 4:5, 6 & 11 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

Let us consider the ministry of angels, and the rhetorical 'if'. What job was given to these angels? Was it to get him down? I don't think so; he could walk on water. Had the entire event placed him in an agitated state; was he in need of comfort and solace? I don't think so; he was strong enough to cast out demons. He had virtue, and some to spare.

In fact, the whole episode is, quite frankly, not something that would have been witnessed by an apostle standing by with a writing instrument in his hand. It was a personal event, in all likelihood related by Jesus himself. As a personal event, the parameters of the characters may be alternately defined.

The devil may be redefined to indicate the temptation in Christ to put God to the test, to flaunt the deity within. The devil and the attending angels may be viewed as the iconic miniatures that stand upon the individual's shoulders and whisper in opposing ears. This event may be the telling of the individual and age old struggle between good and evil – the eternal, internal struggle.

Angels, then, may be the very thoughts of our minds. Thoughts that keep us sane and level-headed. Thoughts that rise above the worldly and physical aspects of existence. Thoughts that are the communicated nature of spiritual godliness.

The 'if', rhetorical and obvious, speaks not only to the 'son-of-God-ship' of Jesus, but to the same within each and every man and woman on the face of the earth. The 'if' points directly to the book of psalms. The message concerns man, and his relationship to the ascendants. The ministry is the work of ascendancy.

Psalms 8:4 & 5 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and 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.

The core issue is faith in man as a condition of ascendancy.

Psalms 91:11 & 12 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.

Section Six: What qualifies as angelic. As suggested earlier, an angelic society may exist within which may be found anyone from an archangel down to a simple traveling messenger. It is considered that among the early Hebrews, an acceptance existed of the opportunity for the faithful to fulfill the station of angel. Thus, mankind filed right, in a manner of speaking, filling

the lower vacancies. We have also considered the point that angels, whatever form they may take, are the communicated nature of spiritual godliness.

This section will explore, more particularly, just what qualifies as angelic. Our first case in point concerns how the early Hebrews differentiated humanoid angels from men. From the following verses in the book of Judges, we gather that the early tribes were addressed by an angel.

What we see in this scripture is an individual who spoke to the children of Israel. The description of him is no more than that he was an angel. He was not said to wear linen. No mention is made of an inexplicable appearance or disappearance. It is said only that he came up from Gilgal.

We are tempted to ask: why not just appear? Why the long walk? Well actually, humanoid angels often used that mode of travel. The three who visited Abraham on the way to Sodom – they walked. There is an account of one angel who walked with a walking stick.

The point that this particular angel came up from Gilgal is infused with the importance of Gilgal. It was the first Israelite camp after crossing the Jordan. It was the place where the twelve stones from the bed of the Jordan were placed. It was also the place where circumcision was reinstituted. It was a site loaded with early Hebrew significance.

It was also a place where, later at least, a college for prophets existed. So, this individual could have been an early prophet. When one compares an angel with a prophet, one notes that the common denominator is that both are filled with the 'spirit' of God. When one compares the work of an angel to the work of a prophet, one notes that both are invested with communications of God. I ask, then, which counts for more, the package or the content?

I would suggest, here, that one qualification of the angelic is the message conveyed.

Judges 2:1-4 An angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers . . . when the angel of the Lord spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.

Three angelic attributes present themselves in the following verses from Exodus. The first attribute is the angelic ability to alter it's physical nature. In this case, the angel was invisible.

The second attribute is the communication. In this case, we see instructions given. The third attribute is the ability to add closure to an event. What was hidden to man, I.E: the whereabouts of drinking water, was known by the angel. Not only that, but the angel concluded the instruction with action That is, essentially, a working agreement: Moses struck the rock in view of the elders, and the angel brought the water from the rock.

So much was accomplished in this simple pact. A need was met, history was made, Moses was justified as a savior of the people, and the position and power of God was manifested in the eyes of credible witnesses. Read on, all you who thirst for truth.

Exodus 17:5-7 The Lord said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

In the above, I see two more angelic qualifications. The first is knowledge of the things

that are hidden from man, and the second is the power to make things happen. Moses struck the rock, but the angel opened it. Had the action of Moses been sufficient, what he acted against would have necessarily been a stone wedged in place that needed only to be dislodged. In that case, there would have been pooled water behind it, visible to man. There would have most certainly been some leakage around the stone, and therefore evidence of water that disallowed for the need of angelic succor.

But now, we return to the first qualification; we return to the common denominator between angels and prophets. We return to the message conveyed.

God is the God of many things, as often noted. Is the God of knowledge, the God of spirits, the God of all flesh, etc. One might choose from a long list of attributes when writing about God. Curiously, John makes a reference that is, to me at least, for the moment, almost unique. I recall God being described in many ways, but I cannot presently recall anywhere else in the Bible that describes God in this manner. This, of course, is the very same God who sends powerful angels to do his bidding.

According to John's description, it is the God of prophets who sends this impressive angel. Our seeking minds should, here, be trained on the common denominator between angels and prophets: the all-important message.

This is a case of the God of the holy prophets, his servants, sending an angel, another servant, to one of the prophets, again, another servant of God. John testified here of what his eyes saw and his ears heard. John's attitude toward the angel of God was imbued with such reverence for God that he worshiped the God-sent angel. That is how impressed John was.

The account from Revelation goes on to include the angel's response to what John has just done. In his response, the angel quite clearly describes himself. So, get this fixed in your thinking before you read: this is God's angel describing himself to John the prophet.

Revelation 22:6, 8, 9 & 16 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

As you read this angel's monologue, you may notice, as did I, a smooth and nearly indistinguishable migration from angel-talk to Jesus-talk. Seemingly out of the blue, the angel speaking to John, the same angel who just informed him that he was no different from John, being a fellow prophet, up and says: I am Alpha and Omega.

This is quite a significant turn of events. He is an angel of God, sent by God. He is a fellow servant and prophet on a par with John himself. He is the son of God. If he is indeed all of this we must broaden the scale to expose its full measure. We must include the holy prophets, and we must include the prophet John. We must look at them all, and determine the common bond.

Recall the notion of filing right, the concept of moving up in the ranks. First, there is a regular prophet. He is included in to the holy prophets. A holy prophet files right to fill a vacancy left by an impressive angel who, himself, has been promoted. The one at the top has been all the

rest.

Of course, the angel may have only been quoting the son of God, as angels often speak the word of God verbatim. It is interesting, however, to note two things in these passages. The first is what the angel claims to be the important matter: the core issue. The second is what Jesus says.

Pretty much the same thing occurs in chapter 19 of the same book. John falls at the feet of the angel sent by God, and the angel tells him that he is a fellow servant of John, and also one who has the testimony of Jesus. He says further, that John should worship God. The angel also gives a reason why one must worship only God: that reason was the 'spirit' shared by prophets and angels alike. That spirit is the spirit of prophecy, and is equal to the testimony of Jesus Christ. These are the keepers of the flame, souls to which others resort in search of fire. One may be consumed by fire; one may be filled with fire. A keeper of the flame may even reach a point where he becomes the flame.

It may be a plausible scenario that Jesus was one such keeper of the flame who became fire. The angel's point was that the message was of greater importance than the messenger. Jesus became the message, and this is what he said: I sent my angel with my testimony, that the spirit of prophecy may bind all, and lift some. Jesus not only described himself (remember the scale) as Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end, but he put in place two more witnesses that there might be three. The second is the root and offspring of David. The third is the bright star and the morning star.

By all means, lets us remember the scale; it is the scale of ascendancy. Consider the ascendancy of man from the root of David all the way up what Jesus was. Consider the scale of time and space in that the spirit of God works in man from the beginning to the end – and then to a new beginning. Consider the scale of mysteries: that, no matter what, we have guidance and goals – the bright star to guide us through the night, and the comfort of the light of day, for which we long.

All scales are imbued with the wax and wane of spiritual ascendancy. Mysteries darken our vision only until revelation. Angels are revealed as fellow prophets, and prophets ascend to holy prophets. Nothing is static; with the light, with the life, there is growth. A seed is planted, a belief takes root, a church is formed of like-minded individuals living and acting in concert. The testimony of Jesus thrives in such a body. The spirit of prophecy is the jet stream of ascendancy.

See here that a church has a bright star of guidance in its own angel, and he is responsible that the flame of the candlestick remains lit.

Revelation 1:1 & 20 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

Do you remember the mention I made of an angel with a walking stick? Well, here it is.

We can easily dismiss someone with a walking stick, almost everyone that walked used one.

Walking sticks are still in common use. What we wish to determine is what qualifies as angelic.

We have considered the message, we have considered the common bond between the ascended and the yet to be ascended. We have considered the power to manipulate matter, and the authority to make good on one's word. We have also considered the knowledge of things hidden

from man.

In Judges, we will consider miracles as qualifications. An average reader of the Bible is, at least, familiar with the miracle of Jesus: he healed the sick, raised the dead, walked on water, manipulated matter so that water turned to wine, appeared after his resurrection looking like another man, transfigured, ascended, and vanished from the sight of two witnesses.

A slightly more practiced reader is aware that other individuals also performed miracles.

Prophets such as Elijah and Elisha, for example, also raised the dead and healed the sick. Angels, on the other hand, are more adept in the exercise of miracles. Check out the walking stick angel, and compare his mode of departure to that of the risen Christ.

Judges 6:11-23 There came an angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah . . . Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him . . . And the Lord (the angel) looked upon him . . .

And he said unto him, Oh my Lord . . . And the Lord said unto him, Surely I will be with thee . . . And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me . . . And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.

Then the angel of the Lord put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the Lord departed out of his sight.

And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the Lord, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord God! for because I have seen an angel of the Lord face to face. And the Lord said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.

When Gideon turned around and saw a man sitting under the tree, he was startled, and thought: this might be an angel – better not take any chances. The offering was 'just in case'.

What really convinced Gideon was when the man just disappeared right in front of him. During the account, emphasis swings between the individual being the angel of the Lord, and the Lord.

After the disappearance of the angel, through which God spoke to Gideon, the voice spoke without the benefit of an apparent physical person.

God, being a spirit, speaks through angels. Angels perform the physical actions that a spirit cannot. This study has examined that fact throughout: that spirit requires a vehicle to act within this physical realm. In that one regard, men and angels have somewhat in common.

God created entities through which he could have power in the physical realm; a society of angels flourished. Then, perhaps as an experiment, God created mankind – a more physical version of angelic being, one not caught between the two realms, but fully immersed in a single realm.

Why would I consider man as a type of angel? When God said, “Let us make man in our own image”, he was not talking to himself, but the word was spoken through angels who, necessarily, had to perform actions in this realm because of the fact that spirit does not have flesh and bone.

God acts through angels. God speaks through angels. Even when angels are not seen by the eyes of men, a voice still needs a physical means to create sound. When the walking stick angel disappeared, it still had physical qualities in proximity to Gideon. When Moses heard a voice issuing from a burning bush, fiery vocal chords were at work. The humanoid angel was somewhere near, just hidden from the eyes of Moses.

In the following verses from the book of Joshua, a humanoid angel appears to Joshua, and speaks with him. Joshua sees the man with his eyes, and hears the words spoken by him with his ears. The man identifies himself as the Captain of the host of the Lord. The angel, therefore, was obviously an individual of some merit and renown. He was a member of a group of individuals who were not all the same rank.

Joshua was by Jericho, and nowhere near the place where Moses spoke to the angel in the burning bush. Yet, Joshua's angel said essentially the same thing to him as to Moses from the burning bush. Was this, in fact, the self-same angel?

Questions arise. Was the angel in the bush, in Moses day, also the Captain of the host?

Was the host present in either case, even while unseen? Why was the message the same; what made two separate locations Holy? Was it the amassed host that made the places Holy? Was it the personage of the Captain that made the places Holy? Was it the Captain's infusion of, and love for, the spirit that made any place he stood a Holy place? And, what was the deal with the shoe?

Does the issue of bare feet have anything to do with Adam and Eve? Does the drawn sword refer in any way to the expulsion from the garden? Was the garden Holy ground? These are issues I will leave for readers to sort through. Read the following and judge for yourselves.

Joshua 5:13-15 Joshua . . . lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant? And the captain of the Lord's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.

Let us now turn our attention to the manipulation of matter. What we will consider is light to the human eye. What may actually be at work is an energy more closely aligned to the spirit than to matter – something that is prior to matter, and that draws matter to spirit, making spirit mechanically useful.

Angels have been described, on occasion, as bright and fiery and shiny in appearance.

They had a certain 'glow' about them. This perceived radiance is, in some contexts, known as glory. The radiance speaks of a power, or an energy behind the perceived event. If angels get this energy from God, then it is no wonder Moses was forced to see only a lesser aspect of God's power.

Glory has not only been noted in angels, but in humans. Moses seemed, to those who saw him, to shine (Exodus 34:29 & 30). Jesus, who was born into, and grew up in, a human body, glowed at his transfiguration.

We may not fully understand the mechanics of glory, but we can see that man and angel, alike, are connected to God through it. Moses was all shiny with the glory of God. Angels have had the appearance of brass. They are sometimes bright with the inner energy that defines them.

They have ignited with glory. Jesus, also, received the glory that belongs to God, but will someday obtain his own glory.

To me, that speaks of a process, and a connection. The angels who possess that inner glory of God, own it. God, who is the source of an angel's glory, is called Holy. Angels who obtain that glory are called Holy. We may consider that locations where that glory is evident are

also Holy. To possess the glory within is to exist within that glory. In reading the verses which follow, we can see both the connection and the process. Christ will come in his own glory. That glory will be in God's glory, and like that of the Holy angels. It is a process of ascension seen in both angels and men.

Luke 9:26 & 29-31 When he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels . . . his raiment was white and glistering. And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.

Alright, imagine this – you are a simple shepherd back in the day. There is no such thing as electric lighting. The common things you are comfortable with are the sun, moon, stars, and fire. One night a man appears in an unbelievably bright light. It lights the man and the field around him. There seems to be no source for the strange light. Then, even more startling, there appear upon the fields and hills a multitude bathed in the same bright light.

These glorious and mysterious beings praise God in one accord, as with a single voice, and say, in unison, strange things as if an invocation, or incantation. They say: glory to God – but, God is glory; glory comes from God. How is it that glory can be added to God? We have never thought of it going in that direction. The answer to that may be found in John 17:1. I speak, of course, of the mechanical aspect of 'glorification', a spiritual process.

The angels also say: and on earth – as if they are caught somewhere in between the common state of man and God 'in the highest'. The highest what, we ask? The invocation continues: peace – as if a new treaty has been signed, and: good will toward men. Curious, how that opens the possibility of an alternate will toward men.

Modern man may not be overly awed by such an angelic display, but, I warrant, those simple shepherds were seriously impressed. Let the light show begin.

Luke 2:9, 10, 13, 14 & 15 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. And 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.

Glory and the seed. There is a deeply planted symbolism here that we must unearth.

Every seed is given its own body, its own kind of flesh. What is is wrapped around the seed, as it is explained here, is what the human eye perceives as the seed, but, the true seed is not that body, but something within. What we find in the following verses are different types of bodies wrapped around an internal quality – the seed.

Reason qualifies that that the uniqueness of each body is due to the uniqueness of each seed. Each seed may owe its uniqueness to a different level of glory. There is an indication, within the following explanation, that the expression of inner glory differs from one type of body to the other. A Moses may shine, but an angel will blaze.

1 Corinthians 15:38-40 But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. There are also celestial

bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.

Speaking of the glory of angelic flesh, I would like to know if the brightness depends, to any degree, upon the power, or high rank of the angel. It may well be that glory differs between one angel and the next. One of the highest angels may achieve a glow that a multitude of lesser angels may only pull off in mass.

Sometimes, angels only get the word 'an' thrown in front of them. Some other angels get a 'the'. Then, there are those angels who get descriptions such as 'powerful'. Revelation describes an angel of great power, whose glory was sufficient to light the landscape around him. That's a hundred watt angel. So I wonder, does an expression like 'in the highest', as we read earlier, indicate a greater ability to channel power? Is: 'God in the highest' an expression similar to 'high wattage'? We use that particular expression for men with higher qualities, rank, clout, appeal, etc.

Revelation 18:1 & 21 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea.

Glorious angels are mighty angels, and like a Samson, can lift great weights gloriously. I wonder just how much a great millstone weighs? For that matter, I wonder why it was a millstone and not something else that the angel's stone was likened to? Such symbolism does connect the past, destruction-of-Babylon-wise, to the future, end-time-harvest-of-the-world-wise.

Wikipedia has an informative article on millstones. Seems the millstone is the stationary stone of two stones used for the grinding, or processing of grains. The millstone is tooled with grooves called, curiously enough, lands and harps.

Symbolically, it does not at first make sense that a millstone is thrown into the sea, but we can remedy that by thinking this: a millstone thrown into a sea of wheat. Mankind has often been described, in the Bible, using terms that peg us as so much grain. We have the great harvest at the end of the world. Similarly, mankind has been described as grapes to be gathered and crushed, fruit trees to be shaken, and even sheep to be gathered and sheared.

A millstone thrown into the sea thus begins to make sense. 'Sea' and 'ocean' are two symbols for mankind, the people, the masses. The symbolism, then, makes a change from the processing of the people by Babylon to the heavenly processing at the great harvest.

Now, check out this next verse.

Acts 6:15 And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.

I add it in order to better describe angels. We are, after all, concerned with those things which qualify as angelic. Moses faced shined, but the face of Stephen did not. Had it done so, I think the council might have acted differently. Yet, the face of Stephen had enough of an angelic quality to merit mention. That quality, I think, was a calmness, an assurance that petty details could not disturb. Do angels have this same air about them?

The council, like animals, bit him with their teeth, and Stephen says, Oh look! There's Jesus. Is the angelic air a sort of distancing from reality that the common man cannot achieve? Is it a high endorphin look of which I speak? Did Jesus endure the cross, and Stephen his stoning,

through such aloofness? Needless to say, the writers associated the face, the look, the air of Stephen with that of an angel. Did he glow? Probably not, but I think he was unperturbed by life or death.

What we have may only be a matter of interpretation. Those people who made the assessment may have been unscientific, as compared to modern scientific practice. They may have been superstitious, and prone to flights of fancy. Or not.

What has concerned me, in my studies, is the communication of spirituality from God to man, first, and then from man to man. Each generation is different; each generation has its own focus, and yet, the same message passes through each. It is given to each in a manner they are best able to incorporate.

No possible channel for the communication of the mind of God should be dismissed out of hand. That includes the interpretation of a given event by the common man. The common man may be less than scientifically inclined. He may have a belief in angels. Modern, scientifically inclined limitations may classify these individuals as unreasonable, and yet, I, being a common man, know that we are almost inextricably attached to reality. Our day to day empirical observations stand the test of time. See the science of the common man in the following.

John 12:29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.

It is a matter of interpretation – or is it? Perhaps it is a matter of faith. Some will believe, others will not. The difference between the two can be easily seen in the people who witnessed the event described in John. Those who professed to thunder were a hard-nosed, scientifically inclined type. All of them had lived many years; they knew what thunder sounded like. They had been collecting the empirical evidence of their own ears all their lives.

Now, does that mean that those who professed to the communication of an angel were prone to flights of fancy? This group also lived many years. They, too, were intimately familiar with the sound of thunder. There are two types of interpretation at work here. One type imposes restraints, the other type gives itself the freedom to include more than the earth-bound will admit.

The communication is there, but not every individual is open to it.

Likewise, angelic qualifications will not be received by all. Those who do not believe, practice disbelief. They actively look for reasons not to believe. Then, there are those in this world who have a little something more going for them. They have freed themselves of the shackles of self-imposed limitations. They have an added dimension, something we like to call the inner man. While the limited will sneer at the inner man as more unreasonableness of the unreasonable, the inner man is in all actuality greater than reason alone. It has been asserted, and I know it to be true: greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

Some of us, therefore, have ears that are tuned to receive the speaking of thunder. We have no qualms with things that are greater than the world. Angels are among us; we receive them. Call us unreasonable; your noises cannot quell the flooding mind of God, nor your wind quench the flame.

Angels are fire and cloud. They are invisible; they are visible. They are real, even though it seems like a dream. They are dreamed, and yet they are real. Heed the vision. Angels can be whole, or in part; what matters is the communication. They can be a finger communicating in the plaster on a wall, or they can be a hand snatching you up by the hair of your head.

Ezekiel 8:3 And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem.

Section seven: Angelic society. There are indications in scripture of a society of ascended beings. We call these beings angels. They are powerful beings with an interest in mankind, but beyond their work, who are they? Where do they live? How do they live?

Certain verses in the Bible give us indications and clues. Seekers are finders. If we ask the right questions, the right answers will follow. In Matthew, for example, we are taught that mankind has a promise. Under the proper circumstances, man will become like the angels.

Having already noted the angelic inclination to call man brother, we conclude that the promise is rather that men will become angels.

The verse that speaks of this promise is important to our study as it gives us clues to the society that we will be resurrected into. We may conclude, in beginning, that there is a place called heaven, and angels inhabit that place.

Matthew 22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.

Thus begun, the verse leads our thinking through the mystery of ascendant society. A puzzle is before us; as we fit the pieces in place, a picture emerges. Next piece: who are the inhabitants? The verse clearly states that there are both male and female inhabitants. How can we tell? They are compared to their counterparts in the society of mankind. If they do not marry, they are male: they do not take wives to themselves. If they are not given in marriage, they are female.

There is much erroneous conjecture surrounding this one particular verse. Many limited minds interpret this verse to mean that angels are either all males, sexless beings, or, because there is no marriage, there is no intercourse in heaven.

Let's take a moment to examine these claims. First, just because there is no marriage, that does not necessarily have to mean there is no intercourse. If there are both male and female ascendants, there is likely to be dating and relationships. The reference to the marriages within our society, I think, points to the production of offspring, biologically speaking. Angelic society may not increase in our fashion – new angels may come from the resurrection instead.

We cannot assume that angels are either all male or sexless. The fact that angels came to earth to have children with human females speaks boldly of two matters. First, the desire of the angels was not so much to have sex, but to produce offspring. They wanted something that they were not getting in heaven. Second, an inclination toward sexuality, not to mention the parts needed to copulate, speaks of both a mentality and physical ability to copulate. What we may assume is that ascendant copulation and human copulation serve different ends.

To things in scripture support the concept of male and female angels, as well as copulation in heaven. One is that we were created in 'their' image.

Genesis 1:26 Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.

Second is that their likeness was both male and female.

Genesis 1:27 Male and female created he them.

God did not have to refit Adam to receive a mate; he was made that way at the beginning.

He was fashion after the male angelic model, as was Eve fashioned after the female angelic model. I do think, however, that mankind had to be created for the purpose of biological procreation. After all, if there were already male and female in heaven, what was the purpose of male and female on earth? We were made just a little lower than the angels, so perhaps, man was a biological angel intended to strive for, and reach an ascended state, thus becoming the newborn ascendant babes that a non-procreating society needed.

So, what is the point of stating a societal condition of angels? It is not to point to a limitation, but rather a process. Mankind will ascend; men and women will become angels. Like angels, they will no longer be subject to the biological cycle of death. The point is that we will become equal in every respect to angels. The children of the resurrection are the children of God, equal to the angels because angels are the children of God. Angels inhabit Heaven just as we inhabit the Earth. Our Earth is considered a world, and is peopled with beings based on an angelic model living in societies that are to some extent based on angelic society. Heaven is a 'world' that is peopled with ascendants who live in a society.

Luke 20:35-36 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.

Angels, as it has been shown, have a tendency to 'speak for' God. In certain instances where an angel communicated to a man, the form that communication took was first person. That is: instead of the angel saying 'God said', the angel said “I” this or “I” that. When God said, 'let us make man in our image', was it one of the high ranking angels: one of the princes?

Genesis 1:26&27 And God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness . . . So God created man in His own image, in the image of God (an invisible spirit) created He him; male and female created He them.

Was this really a team of angelic creation techs? It is obvious from a thorough reading of scripture that God has at no time appeared to man. God is an invisible spirit – he has no image, yet, angels, having appeared often, do have an image – being seen in our world by physical eyes, and heard with physical ears.

The word 'our' is possessive – something that belongs to, or that is a normal attribute. The word 'our' is also, obviously, plural – more than one individual. Therefore, when god created man, God was more than one individual. If this plurality we speak of is a group of angels, then God may possibly be their inner man.

How big is the society of humanoid angels? Is it as big as the society of man here on Earth, or is it bigger? We have a fairly accurate count of Earth's inhabitants; what we don't know are the stats on angels. There are indications, however. Christ mentioned twelve legions of army angels. The verse below gives our minds somewhat more to encompass – and then it gives us

more.

Hebrews 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels.

Innumerable is difficult to count. Let's just say there are a bunch of them. Angels may well outnumber humans. But beyond the count, this verse offers something our minds need to wrap themselves around – that is our promised home, our future state, is already populated. Our heavenly abode does not magically appear at the end of our struggles; it is already present. What will be new will be our admission.

I have to ask. How close is heaven? I am presently thinking of parallel states. If Mount Zion is a 'stepping off' location, then angels really don't travel very far to reach us. I wonder also if, in our daily affairs, we walk through these places and people that are parallel to us. Do we ever accidentally see inexplicable shadows or edges? We rub our eyes, shake our heads, and move on to other things, but should we stop to consider what we normally dismiss?

Our brothers, the angels, share something quite specific with mankind. I speak of judgment. Let us compare apples to oranges. Men, created on and for the Earth, face a judgment.

Angels, who left heaven and lived on Earth, face a judgment. They left a place we might consider spiritual, but in the transition, they became, if they were not already, physically capable to live as man in every respect.

Let us consider the language of judgment. Almost anything that holds one down may be considered a chain. Mankind is bound by chains: chains of flesh, mortality, sin, and ignorance.

Now, the fallen angels are bound by chains of darkness, but what are chains of darkness? We have an expression: 'being kept in the dark'. By that we mean, necessary information is being withheld. The chains of the angels seem a lot like ours – chains of ignorance. I wonder if they share any of our other, numerous, chains.

Jude 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

Normally, we think of the fallen angels as being caged in some black, underground cell, and wrapped in chains of iron, but as we can clearly see, there are alternative definitions which may be considered. If spiritual beings have lost, or have been denied, access back where they came from, that is a heavy chain, but not necessarily iron. We might consider that condition as a chain of flesh, after all, they did go in a counter direction. The process may not be designed to go from spiritual to mortal – there may be consequences in going that way.

The bound angels, who chose to live as men, may be bound with all that men are bound with. Being bound does not entail absolute inactivity. For all we know, they may yet walk among us. Imagine the fallen angels overcoming the trials of their fallen condition, being saved, brought back into God’s angelic host, and redressed in white angel garb. Read the following verses and ask yourselves – who is Jesus really talking to?

Revelation 3:1, 5, 7 & 14 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. And

to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write . . . And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write . . .

Let us consider that the fallen angels may be in the same boat as we are. Whether that boat is a sinking ship or an ark is up to each individual. From reading the verses above, it seems that angels and men share a common establishment – the church. They do not appear as automatons, able to do great feats with superhuman consistency. Rather, they seem to be subject to the human condition. They grow weary, they get lazy, they get discouraged.

One thing seems, surprisingly, certain from those verses, that is that the angels hold positions of power within the church – that is, they are enslaved to the responsibility for their church. One might say they are chained to their church. The salvation of the church is their redemption.

We, as humans, fail to see angels in the light of brotherhood. We see stories of personal feats that are impossible to us, and some therefore believe in the impossibility of the feat. Others, accept, but not fully. They see angels in the service of God, but fail to see that, like us, angels worship God. It may be that angels, some of them anyway, are sealed with the seal of God – just as some of us are. Read slowly.

Revelation 7:1, 2 & 11 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshiped God. What did you read? Did you pick up on angels being sealed? Did you notice that angels worship God? If your attention was rather drawn to the symbolisms of these verses, then let's look at them together. What does it mean that an ascendant being ascends out of the east? East is where the sun ascends. East is the seat of the Judaic and Christian religions. It is also the seat of the Muslim religion. I have to admit that angels falling on their faces seems more Muslim than Christian, but the early forms of eastern worship included such.

How about those four angels? Isn't it a wonder that they can stand on the four corners of a round Earth? What should we gather from that? Are we to see it as a reference to the four winds, the four directions, the four elements, or perhaps the four corners of an alter?

In the worship the angels perform, we can see a sort of social structure by their placement of all who gather around the throne (seat) of God. The angels are not the closest to God, but the elders and the four beasts. Who are the beasts, and why the number four? Who are the elders?

Are there old angels? Do elders hold the upper levels of authority among angels? Are the elders angel preachers in the church of God? Bearing in mind that there are strong connections and similarities between the societies of angel and man, let us take a closer look at the concept of church on the other side. We might have a tendency to view the things said in Revelation as based in the thinking of early eastern religion, but where did that thinking come from? What was it based in?

Revelation 8:2-6 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden

censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth.

Why was the eighth angel the priest? Revelation is a book of sevens. We had just read of angels surrounding the throne of God in worship – now this. What does it tell us? I see rings. At the center is the throne. Next level out is the alter – that is ring one. Then there are four beasts in ring two. Ring three is the priest. Ring four are the seven angels. Ring five are the elders. Ring six is the multitude of angels. All together that is seven, the number of perfection.

It is little wonder that the issues of judgment and salvation are worked out in such a setting, but one cannot look at such things without being drawn into the numbers that are attached. Among the attending angels, it was the eighth angel who performed the duties of the priest. Eight, as you might recall, is the number of salvation. There were eight people on the ark.

What I see in that was four male and four female. May we suppose that there are two halves to salvation? Does the fact that there are four beasts around the throne have any connection to salvation? There are the four beasts on the spiritual side, and there are the four angels working the physical side.

Revelation 9:11, 14 & 15 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.

It may be that the work of the four angels somehow corresponds with the work of the four beasts. We may unravel all of these mysteries, but for the time, we may assume that judgment is physical, and salvation is spiritual.

These interesting verses give us much food for thought. In regard to angelic society, we note divisions similar to our own. There is an angel king, but he is a localized king – not the top king, not the king of all. If there can be one localized angel king, there can be others. Perhaps 'king' is an angelic rank above the rank of 'prince'. Perhaps each angel king has his own retinue of angel princes.

As to the numerology of the four angels, we note the number four and recall that four may be but half of the deal. In fact, look at the time the angels have been allotted for their work.

They have been given one year, one month, one day, and one hour. That adds up to four. Four plus four are the numbers involved in judgment / salvation.

Other things to note in these verses are that the angels have been kept in the east, that they are soldier angels of a sort, and that they are prepared, or trained, for the singular task ahead of them – a task that will take a little more than three hundred and ninety six days to accomplish.

It may be that, like Zion, the Euphrates is a 'stepping off' place, an area where the parallel worlds intersect. Just a thought.

Let's return to the concept of church in heaven. We read of many angels surrounding the throne in worship. In an angelic society, is it only the 'churchy' angels that attend services? We

look at the four angels of destruction, and we have a hard time seeing them as particularly church-going. That is an error of our judgment based in a false notion that the faithful are timid, sheepish creatures prone to a Pollyanna point of view. Among those angels who worship God, the following verse shows us that the soldier angels are included.

Psalms 148:2 Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.

There does not seem to be divisions on matters of faith among the angels – only among men. Men are not the only ones interested in issues of faith, judgment, salvation, and the promise of our inclusion into a higher society. The higher society, for quite a long time, has already been immersed in these issues.

1 Peter 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

In the book of Daniel, a new and different term for 'angel' is used. How does it apply? We see that the term 'watcher' is equal to the qualification of 'Holy one'. We see that the watchers are the ones (the Holy ones) who make decrees that affect the progress and outcome of mankind. It is a demand on their part, or in other words, it is something they want.

They want to get a message through to those of us on this side. That message is that God, the most high among the ascended, rules in our governments. We are not in control, and we must realize that.

Daniel 4:13-17 & 23-26 I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven; This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, this is the decree of the most High, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.

We must see something about the structure of angelic society. We must see that they have a center, a core, around which they gather in varying ranks – a core which be a person, but may also be a principle. It may be both. They maintain that core, and worship that center of their being. However, their language is key to our understanding.

The angels did not gather in worship around God, but around the 'seat' of God. Is 'throne' an object, or a concept? Christ did not say he would confess his faithful to God, but rather to the 'angels of God'.

Luke 12:8-9 Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. We may speak of Christ being subject to God, but in what sense do we mean that? Many

think of Christ as a person who obeys another person. Others view Christ as that other person.

That other person is interpreted by the world as a singular authority who says “Jump!� - and that is what you had better do, or else. However, that interpretation is based on the 'Sky Daddy' concept - God as a tyrannical, white-bearded father figure.

God is no figure at all. Christ, who will be subject to him, informed us that God is a spirit. God, the most high among the ascended, the core and center, has no body. He does not occupy space. Around him, and radiating from him, are mind-sets, and bodies. You may take the analogy of early men gathered around and tending a flame so that it does not go out.

God himself, being spirit, never once spoke to man or appeared to him in any physical manner, but always used angels - beings filled with the mind of God, and tending, in a manner of speaking, the core flame.

The burning bush, the cloud and fire in the wilderness march, both invisible and nonhumanoid angels, as well as humanoid angels are all vehicles of the will and intent of the mind of God. Angels are a society of 'flame-keepers'.

Christ may be called a prince, but so is Michael - that is their elite rank. Highest of all the princes is the King, Jesus Christ. He is King of all on that high plane, and also King of all below.

As angels progress upward, they draw from mankind to fill their ranks.

The physical nature of angels may also continue to evolve, and that progress may end at the throne – where a more or less physical ascendant finally merges with the intangible, but powerful and pervasive center of all being. A new Jesus may step forward from the rank of Michaels, and a lesser but promising angel will fill his shoes. At the bottom of the ladder of angels, man looks up hopefully.

Angels, the ultimate secret society, have an important mission. That is that every being, not just Jesus and the society of princes, but every last one of us from the most promising right down to you and me, may be thoroughly saturated, filled, and in subjection to the mind of God. That God may be all in all.