Understanding Angels - Part 2

0:40Oops. Remember last time we talked about the seraphim and cherubim? I made a spent a lot of time talking about those angels and angelic orders, very similar beings, but there seems to be some kind of a distinction between the two, yet very similar that it's hard to make a hard and fast distinction. But there seems to be two different classes, and certainly those around the throne, the living beings that we have seen in Revelation 4, seem to be in that category with the seraphim.

1:19Also mentioned the angelic order of the elders. And if you look back at Revelation chapter 4, we'll be looking at A little bit of that angelic order, the 24 elders sitting around the throne, sitting in thrones. And I mentioned this briefly in the sermon when I was on this text about these angels. And really, there's a conversation, an interpretive issue. Are these angels, these 24 elders, or are they glorified humans? So I just want to mention a few things about these elders, and just as it's important to kind of get a mindset maybe about who these are. But then there's a whole category, there's a category of named angels, there's a category of strong angels, and then there's a host of other angels. And I'll just start talking through some of these different classes of angels that we will encounter in Revelation and take the time that we have, and then probably won't get through them all, but I'll give you enough to at least give you a sense and hopefully awaken your eyes to see these angelic beings and their orders and what they are doing. And you'll find that these are very significant beings with very specific functions, all with a goal.

3:00That God has commissioned them to do. And so that's where I'm going. We'll now look at some of the angelic orders. We've already looked at the cherubim and the seraphim. These angelic orders, as I said earlier, they're angels, these 24 elders around the throne. I believe them to be angelic orders. The name Prespurdatas, elders, typically you see in the Bible, refers to human beings, but it doesn't have to. And it can be certainly an elder class, a leading class, and certainly that would fit within these beings, these 24 orders. And one of the reasons I do think that they are angels is because it would be a very odd place for glorified human beings to be. If you keep in mind, John's still on earth. Now, a lot of people will put, well, the rapture has already happened, and what John is seeing is representatives of the human race, 24 orders. But the best they can come up with is: well, who are these 24 elders? Usually it's 12 apostles and 12 of the tribes of Israel are representatives of them. But there's almost a fundamental problem I have with this is you would expect. Expect, and just because you would expect it doesn't necessarily mean it would be there, but certainly, John doesn't say, Well, I looked up there and there was Peter up on the throne. I mean, you'd think he had recognized Peter. And there I was over there on that throne. Now, he doesn't have any kind of make any kind of connection like that. Not saying he has to, but it would seem like if these were glorified humans that he would have made it a little more apparent. But it's an odd place for glorified humans. If you think about it, even Moses hasn't put on his glorified human body yet. We're all waiting in the order of the resurrection. First, Christ, then those who are at his appearing, and then everyone else who are in Christ. And so it's an odd place to find glorified human beings at this juncture in Revelation. We haven't gotten there yet. And so what difference does it make? Well, it doesn't impact the practical application of any of the teaching. So whether they're elders or angels doesn't really take away from the exhortations and takeaways. But it may impact our understanding of angels. If these are indeed angels, it may give us a little bit of an understanding of some of the angelic orders.

6:05And a lot of this is based, I think one of the main reasons that these are seen as human beings is because in the King James, and if you have the King James in Revelation 5, 10, we haven't gotten there yet Sunday morning, but it says this, and the elders are speaking, and he has made us unto our God, kings and priests, and we shall reign upon the earth. Well, in the modern translations and translations that are based, you know, have taken in the full orb of manuscript evidence since the King James, it's pretty much the modern translations are all in one accord. The better translation, you have made them to be a kingdom and priest to our God, and they will reign upon the earth. So some copyist made an interpretive decision some way back in the Western family in the Textus Recepticus tradition, and they put in we there. And so that has led this idea, well, these are elders, these are human beings. But that's really where a lot of that will. Come from.

7:32But the better translation is certainly that it is them, they will raise. Speaking of the third person, but the question, if these are, for a moment, just take this into account, if these are angelic orders, why 24? Becomes an interesting question. We've got these 24 angelic orders around the throne. Why 24? Well, I think a good observation, maybe the best I can come up with, is they might correspond to the 24 elders of the Levitical priesthood.

8:15Very clearly, if you read 1 Chronicles 23 and verses 3, 4, and chapter 24, you see 24 orders of the Levitical priesthood. And so the whole priesthood, those who are serving in the copy of the temple and the tabernacle, they are, there's 24 of them. And so the whole Levitical orders are arranged 24. And that's not to say that the heavenly reflects the earthly, but vice versa. That the earthly priestly ministry. Is reflecting or is a reflection of the heavenly angelic priestly ministry. So you have the 24 orders. And so it could very well be that what's happening on earth with the Levitical priesthood is that it's a reflection of and a mirror copy of the heavenly orders and angelic orders and of serving in the true temple.

9:35So one thing's really clear as you work your way through Revelation is that these elders are involved in leading worship. They lead worship in chapter 4, they lead worship in chapter 5. They are worship leaders and they are leading angels. That'll be evident in chapter 5. That's evident they lead worship. No other humans are mentioned specifically in Revelation 4 or 5, but myriads and myriads of angels are. So when heaven erupts in the worship of the Lamb, there are myriads and myriads and thousands and thousands of angels that fall, that take their cue from the living beings or the The 24 elders take their cue from the living beings, and the living beings then, as they worship, the 24 angelic orders worship, and then all of a sudden there's an eruption of angelic worship throughout, having myriads and myriads, thousands and thousands. That just doesn't seem like a place for humans. It seems a place for angels. And so there is these orders that lead worship. 24. It's also clear they interpret for John. Throughout the book, the elders show up as interpreting the scripture or interpreting the dream. This is something that throughout Scripture you see angels doing, whether that's in chapter 5, chapter 7, chapter 11, chapter 19. It's these elders of this angelic order that are interpreting things for John so that he gets the message, so that he understands. That's an angelic function.

11:34So, and it's clear they also are the ones who are offering up the prayers of the saints. They have the bowls of the saints. Again, these 24 angelic orders closely associated. And it's clearly that in chapter 8, the angel adds to the prayers. So you've got these elders who are angelic orders who are dumping the prayers. Who have the bowls full of prayers, and then it's another angel that comes and adds to the prayers. So you've got these 24 angelic orders. These are the elders. They are from whom the angelic orders take their cues, it seems like.

12:20Any questions on the 24 elders? Like I said, it doesn't change any real practical exhortation from Revelation, but it could be something that will help us get an understanding of this. Yes, sir. Are they mentioned anywhere else in Scripture other than Revelation? Not by that name. And no. So this is where we see them. Not that I'm aware of. And I don't think so. Yes, sir. Is there any conjecture whether the men that were commissioned by King James to come up with the translation by doing that, it would kind of support the dot the divine right of kings?

13:18That would support the divine. You know how how the uh a lot of the kings, like the king of England and stuff like that, to use that as a divine right? That this is what the king thought, and they wanted to go with King James interpreted. I don't think there was, I wouldn't think so. I'm not saying that couldn't happen, but it seems like, no, the Textus Recepticus has, this is the basis of the King James has that in the Greek there. But as you take in a greater survey, and certainly since the King James, that's what, now 1611, how many years, is that 400 years ago? There have been a lot of manuscripts that have been found, studied, and just the other families, certainly.

14:16Yes, earlier ones and different languages, and they come to a unity that it was a third person, and somewhere in the course of translating the Western traditions, you have that. But it's not saying it wouldn't have. I just doubt King James was that dialed into that kind of detail in the Scripture. It'd be nice if he was, but he probably wasn't. Well, let's look at some named angels. Anybody, who are the named angels in Scripture? Anyone know? Michael?

15:01Gabriel. Any others? Who is Lucifer? Oh, I guess so. Yeah. He's one of the bad guys, though, right? Yeah, I guess so. Very good. Lucifer. Yeah, let's talk with the good guys first. We'll get to the bad guys in a little bit. But Michael and Gabriel. Those are two named angels that you see in Scripture. Who are they? Well, we'll just, Michael, we'll start with him. He is an angel that is often associated with the last days. In Daniel, can you read that? Can you see that? Okay, in Daniel 12, 1.

15:46This is in a context where actually Gabriel is explaining some things to Daniel. And he says, now at that time, and it's about the last days, he says, now at that time, Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. So Michael is an angel who, that great prince who stands guard over the nation of Israel, sons of your people. He will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time. And at that time, your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. So it's talking about a great. Time of distress that has never happened, planet Earth, and a time when everyone whose name is in the book will be saved.

16:42Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever. So that's Gabriel announcing to Daniel that Michael, who Michael is, the great prince among the angels. He is somebody, as you read through Scripture, who has direct conflicts with the devil in Jude 1:9, but Michael, the archangel, that's where we get the archangel, it's kind of like archbishop, head angel, archangel, archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare to pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, The Lord, rebuke you. So Michael has a, as you've seen in Scripture, he has these conflicts with the devil. And Revelation 12:6, again, you see Michael. In conflict with the devil. In chapter 12, there's a scene where the woman fled. The woman is unquestionably Israel. In my mind, let me put it that way. Nothing's everything seems like it's an interpretive issue in Revelation. But the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God. So there she would be nourished for 1,260 days. And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon, and the dragon and his angels waged war. So there is a conflict in heaven, Michael leading the charge against the devil, and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer place for them in heaven. So it's Michael and his forces that take out the dragon and his forces and fling them to earth. So very powerful angel leading the charge, often against Satan himself, an archangel.

19:09Then there's Gabriel. Gabriel is another named angel, and he also functions as a warrior for God's interests. You see him show up in Daniel, and it's clearly in Daniel 8, he's named. In Daniel 10, it's clear or Evident that he is the same one speaking. So, in Daniel chapter 10, it is again Gabriel that's speaking. Then he said to me, Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words. So, Daniel's trying to understand vision, understand what's going on. He's praying earnestly the 70 weeks that have been declared in chapter 9 for the nation of Israel. And Daniel is perplexed, and he's praying for understanding, and Gabriel is sent to him. He says, But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me. So, I was trying to get to you. So, there seems to be this angelic conflict that Gabriel is involved in. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for 21 days. Then, behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia. So, Gabriel is another one of these warring angels in conflict. Michael comes.

20:58And in chapter 10, He says, Do you not understand why I came to you? But I shall now return to fight against the Prince of Persia. So I'm going forth, and behold, the Prince of Greece is about to come. However, I will tell you what is inscribed in the writing of truth. Yet there is no one who stands firmly with me against these forces except Michael, your prince, the prince of Israel. So you have this angel Gabriel who's involved in ministering the word, explaining things, messenger, but also one who's very much a warrior in the angelic realms for God's interests, in nations rising, nations falling.

21:53And so it is God who raises nations and puts them down again, and he has angelic beings that seem to play a role in this. And so that's Gabriel. It's also clear that Gabriel, when you see him, he is primarily functioning as a messenger of God. Remember Daniel 8:15. When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it, and behold, standing before me was one who looked like a man. And I Heard the voice of a man between the banks of the river, the Euli, and he called out and said, Gabriel, give this man understanding of the vision.

22:44So he's called to give Daniel an understanding. Now, when you're reading Luke chapter 1, who is the angel that meets Zacharias? Who is Zacharias? Yeah, John the Baptist dad. And so he's there and he's doing his order, and Zacharias said to the angel, How will I know this for certain? Basically, you're going to have a child, and your child is going to go before the Lord, and the strength and power of Elijah, he's going to turn hearts. And Zacharias says to the angel, How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years. And the angel answered and said to him, I am Gabriel. That ought to shock him.

23:37Who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. So Gabriel's the one. Now, what happened? Who's the one that goes to tell Mary what's happening? It's Gabriel. It's Gabriel in Luke 1:26. Now in the sixth month, The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee, to Nazareth, to a virgin Mary, to announce. That's Gabriel. It's Michael. And he is also associated with the last days.

24:19After reading all, I've already read that to you, Daniel 12:1. Now, at that time, Michael, the great prince who stands guard over your people, is going to rise. There's going to be a time of great distress, such as never has occurred. And after he finishes that, the very next verse, he says, But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time. Seal up this book until the end of time. Then Daniel goes on and says, As for me, I heard, but I could not understand. So Daniel's struggling with what does all this mean? So I said, My Lord, what will be the outcome of these events? He said, Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time. In other words, Daniel, you're not going to be able to understand these. But there is coming a time when they will be understood. And you think about this. Remember this morning there was this strong angel, and he comes and he makes this big announcement.

25:31Who is worthy to open up the scroll? Well, many people speculate that that strong angel is Gabriel. Gabriel was part of the concealing, and now he's part of the revealing. We'll come to that in a minute. But Gabriel is strongly associated with revelation, making revelation known, explaining revelation. He's also very much associated with the angelic conflicts, and he's also, and the rise and fall of nations, and he's also very much involved with prophecy, making it known, and concealing, and end times, and that corner kind of thing.

26:17So, those are the two named angels, at least the good guys. Any questions or thoughts? Yes, sir. Michael, I believe, who is like God? Gabriel, I'd have to go back and see who is like the Lord, I believe, is Michael and Gabriel. I'm not. I knew it one time. Does anybody know? Anyway, somebody could probably look that up real quickly. So then we move to another. Anybody other any other questions on Michael or Gabriel? Then we move into this other category of angels that we'll see in Revelation. Strong angels. Strong angels. Three times, this is going to, well, I'll just put them up here. Chapter 5.

27:21Revelation 5:2, we looked at this this morning. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, who is worthy to open the book and break it sealed. And three times, there's going to be this an angel, the strong one, that's going to make an appearance, the strong angels. And there's lots of strong angels, but there are three specifically mentioned as the strong angels. And so one we encountered this morning, and his strength is in his loud voice. There's a summoning, there's an ability to proclaim that penetrates all the realms of existence, of creation, whether it's heavens, earth, under the earth, and those realms he can speak and be heard.

28:17Chapter 10, we come into we encounter another one of these strong angels. In chapter 10, I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven. Clothed with the cloud, and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. And he had in his hand a little book which was open. And he placed his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land. And he cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. And when he had cried out, the seven peals of thunder uttered their voices. So again, another loud, powerful angel coming down out of heaven. And then a third, chapter 18.

29:09This has to do with overthrow of Babylon. Revelation 18:21. Then a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, So will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence and not be found any longer. So another was one of these powerful beings who is going to be party to, part of, the overthrow of Babylon, a great city, powerful. And you got these strong angels. Any questions? There's a lot more, angelic orders. Just as you start going through Revelation, there's a whole bunch. And we're not going to be able to go through them all. It's already getting kind of late. But just talk about. Some other angels we encounter in Revelation. There's the seven trumpet angels. After the seventh seal is opened, there are these angels who are going to blow trumpets.

30:15And they seem to be heralds, but they seem to also be powerful. They're part of the instruments that are bringing this about. And there are seven trumpets, seven angels. When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about a half hour, and I saw seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. And when they start blowing their trumpets, the world is in a world of hurt. Some other angels, as you go through, the fallen angels. Fallen angels, though he's not called Lucifer here, it seems evident that this is who's being spoken of in Revelation 9:1. Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth, and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him.

31:18Another fallen angel, Revelation 9:11, speaking of this angel of the abyss. They have the king over them, this abyss, and all that's in it. They have a name in Hebrew, Baden, and in Greek, his name is Apollyon. How many of you are familiar with Apollyon? Yeah, you've heard of Apollyon. Well, this is where he is, this is his realm. This is the fallen angel, Apollyon. Yeah, he's no good. But yeah, that's whether Apollyon is Satan or the devil or Bunyan's personification of him, this is where he gets them. They seem to be, it seems like they could be distinct, but certainly he orchestrates his havoc on Christians' life and the pilgrim's progress through Apollyon.

32:14Fallen angel. Other angels, the Euphrates angels. This happens in chapter 9:16. Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God. One saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, release the four angels who were bound at the great river Euphrates. So there's these four angelic beings bound at the river Euphrates. And the four angels who had been prepared for the hour and day and Month and year.

33:03Pretty precise, isn't it? This is their one job. They were released so that they would kill a third of mankind. So these are some powerful beings, angelic beings created for this purpose, bound until this purpose. And when that sixth angel blows, they're going to release these angels bound at the river Euphrates to do what God has purposed them to do. Then you have what I call the temple angels, and you've got really 14 of them as I count them through.

33:52What you have happening after the seventh angel blows his trumpet. I've said this several times, but the book of Revelation is really laid out very easily. You've got seven seals, and then one, two, three, four, five, six are opened. And then when the seventh seal is opened, what happens? What comes forth? Seven trumpets. Yes, the seventh seal turns into seven trumpets. And then each trumpet blows one, two, three, four, five, six, and then the seventh seven seven seven seven seven seals. Seventh trumpet blows, and guess what happens when the seventh trumpet blows? And you get some balls, and this is what happens with the seventh seal. That when the seventh angel sounded, then skipping a few verses, the temple of God, which is in heaven, was opened, and the ark of his covenant appeared in his temple, and there were flashes of lightning, and sounds, and peals of thunder, and an earthquake, and a great hailstorm. Okay, so you get at the seventh seal, you get this. The reason I say, okay, they're temple angels, is because now heaven is opened up, and there is clearly some angels that are coming out of the temple. And so I count 14.

35:22The first one that appears is Michael. He comes out. Again, there's this war with the dragon. And then you have these three flying angels. Three flying angels. And they are a really interesting group of angels. In verse 6, 14, 6, and I saw another angel flying mid-heaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth and to every nation, and tribe, and tongue, and people. And he said with a loud voice, fear. God and give him glory because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens and the earth and sea and the springs of water. So the first angel comes through with this gospel.

36:12Earth has been reeling. And you have this angel that comes and now he proclaims the gospel so that everyone hears. See how these angels can be heard. And he's calling them, preaching the good news. Turn to God. That's the first of the flying angels. Then you have the second flying angel. And another angel, a second one, followed saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the Great, she who has made all the nations drink of the wine of the passion of her immorality. And then there's another angel, the third flying angel. Verse 9, and another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, if anyone receives the beast and his image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angel and in the presence of the Lamb. So here comes this third angel that comes through and says, Look, choose who you're going to worship. You got the first one saying, here's the good news, worship God. You got the third one, don't take the mark of the beast.

37:33Those are the flying angels that go out, and they're calling people to turn to him. Anyway, then you have these three harvesting angels. These three harvesting angels in chapter 14, beginning in verse 15. Let me just verse 14. Then I looked and behold a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was one like a son of man, having a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. And in verse 15, and another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, Put your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe. And so you have these series of another angel that comes out of the temple in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. And another angel came out with power over fire from the altar, and you have a harvest, and it's really the harvest for those who are going to be burned up. So you have these harvesting angels. So you've got Michael, three, and three. So there's the first seven. Then you have the seven bowl angels. They're the ones that come out after the seventh trumpet is blown. And they get these seven bowl angels. And when you get to the bowl angels, they're pouring out wrath, and things are going to move extremely quickly at that point.

39:03I'm about out of time, so I'm going to wrap this up because I don't want to leave you just going after angel after angel. But there's the illuminating angel we could talk about. He's in Revelation 18:1. There's the sun angel. He shows up in Revelation 19:17. There's the chain angel. He comes down and just really quickly ties up the devil and throws him into the abyss. Powerful beings. These are other very strong angels, even though they're not called strong angels. They are definitely very powerful, able to put Satan in his place like that.

39:43Really impressive beings. Any questions? I want to leave you with the thought on these angels. But are there any questions on the angels? I'm not going to talk about some of these, but any other thoughts? Yes, sir? Why do you think that he started using Gabriel? And why do you think he uses angels to do so that he could do himself? I don't know. Good question. I don't know. He certainly met with Adam in the garden. That was a pre-fallen state. He met Moses on the mount. But you do see an angel of the Lord, and I think many of the cases the angel of the Lord is Christ, is God, like you're saying.

40:56But sometimes he sends angels, sometimes he, and I don't really know why he does what he does. But just to give you this idea as we just think about, certainly we've seen a lot about angels during this time. They're incredible beings. They're real. But I want you to get an understanding of what they're about. They absolutely love Jesus Christ. They absolutely bow down to him. And in that, we have the same common, we have something very much in common with them. They have over them their Lord. We have over us our Lord. And I don't care who you are. We have, there is one Lord. They have one Lord. They recognize the Lord. Christians recognize who the Lord is. We have that in common with them.

42:00And so they are very much on our side because we have the same Lord. If you're on the Lord's side, you're on their side. And so these great, powerful beings, it's really exciting as you think about what they do. You remember in Revelation 5, we'll be reading this probably on New Year's Day, but after the living beings do their thing, the elders fall. Then I looked and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, and the living creatures and the elders, and the number of them was myriads of myriads and thousands and thousands. All these kinds of angels that we just discussed. And this is just a few. And there are many orders, many kinds. Myriads and myriads and thousands and thousands. And John sees them up there. And they're saying with the loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing. They absolutely love Jesus.

43:14And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and the sea and all things in them, I heard saying to him who sits on the throne and to the lamb be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever. There's the worship. Of heaven, and then every created thing follows suit. That is what we're to do: mimic the worship of heaven. And the four living beings, creatures, kept saying amen, and the elders fell down and worship. She's worship leaders there.

43:51But as you think through, and I love that picture, as you study angels and you see the powerful, you see how powerful they are, but you can also see how devoted they are. And it's just a beautiful thing to see such strength so devoted to the rightful Lord. And that's something for us: that I don't care how much strength you have, what's really important is that who you devote it to. Are you devoted to Christ with whatever strength are you under His control? Or do you have a mind of your own?

44:32One more thought on these angels, that they're ministering spirits. Hebrews speaks about this. Remember in Hebrews 1:1, God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers and prophets in many portions and in many ways. So God was in the habit of speaking to fathers in many portions and many ways. Why, Matthew, I don't know why the different ways, but he chose different ways. In these last days, he has spoken to us in his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he has made the world. And he is the radiance of his glory and the exact representation of his nature, and upholds all things by the word of his power. When he had made purifications of sin, he sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. This is Jesus, Creator, God, brought the world into order. He is the exact representation of God. He upholds all things by his word. And then he went to the cross, and then he sat down at the right hand, the majesty on high. And having become as much better than the angels, as he has inherited a more excellent name than they. So the writer of Hebrews is saying, none of the angels are this wonderful or are this majestic. We saw that this morning. Who's the most worthy in heaven? None of the angels came forward. You're going to see the lamb who was slain that comes forward next week.

46:16Then he says this in verse 14. Are they, speaking of the angels, are they not all ministering sins? Spirits sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation. Think about that for a moment. Think about our quick survey of all of these powerful angels, these beings. Think about their absolute love and devotion to the Creator, to the Redeemer, but also in this verse to the Redeemed. They are ministering spirits sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation. So, as you study these beings, we're in good company.

47:18Listen, you go do what God has called you to do, He'll take care of whatever needs to be taken care of. And He's got the forces to do it. So, I thought that's a good way to end tonight. Anybody want to add a thought? Yes, ma'am. I'm glad you made a good distinction between humans and angels. And I think a lot of times people will get sloppy or just don't know any better, and they'll say, Oh, so-and-so died, and they're an angel in heaven now. And I think we have to, as believers, we have to be very precise.

48:00And not, you know, not and just help other people to understand that that's not how we don't become angels. We're forever humans, having received salvation. Angelic orders are different, separate element of God's creation. Yes, sir. I just wanted to make a comment that I appreciate your study, and I'm sure everybody else does too, because I've never seen this discussed in such an orderly fashion. It really helped us to understand some of the mysteries of God's kingdom and his way as we learn more about God and look forward to heaven. I appreciate you helping us to understand that better stuff. I really appreciate your working here. It's been very exciting. Well, thank you. I appreciate that. Thank you. Yes, it's a fascinating study. And it's well, let's go. Let me pray. Heavenly Father, we just thank you for just the way you protect us, just the way you've given so much to us, and that there are myriads and myriads and orders of angelic beings that you have ordained, created, and they serve you and they serve us.

49:25Not to do our bidding, but to bring us recipients. Of your great favor, your eternal salvation. We thank you, and Father, if we could only see the forces that you have purposed to help us, Father, we're surrounded by so many witnesses and we're surrounded by so many reinforcements. So, Father, we thank you. And as we go here tonight, as the writer of Hebrews, help us to pay more careful attention to the salvation that you have given your people. What a precious treasure it is. Just as we see the orders and magnitudes of these beings, we also recognize that they're ministering spirits. So, how much more, how valuable they see our salvation. Help us, Father, to also see how valuable the salvation that you've given us in Christ and help us to be more attentive and to flesh out your salvation daily in our lives. May it take more and more effect and control and be evident in our lives. Help us to walk in a pattern, Father, completely devoted to you, and thank you for the cross that gives us the basis. To move on after we've fallen and failed, no matter who we are. Father, you have given us a clean slate in the blood of Christ, and each day is new. And so, Father, we can leave here tonight strengthened and encouraged to walk in your ways, regardless of our past failures. So, Father, thank you, and go with us now as we go into our week. May you be exalted and celebrated greatly, just as you are in heaven. In Christ's name, amen.

51:36Thank you all.