Today is the sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost, but today is also St. Michael and All Angels Day. This is the day we set aside, not to worship angels, but to give thanks to God for these, His messengers and helpers. Although we cannot see angels, at least not under normal circumstances, we know they are there. I do not know about you, but the way some people drive today, I know I have at least two angels, one at the front of my car and one at the back. I am sure we have all heard stories of angels and of people being protected by their guardian angel and perhaps we have even heard stories of people seeing angels. So, for the next few minutes we will talk a little about angels.
Let me begin by admitting that I am no expert on angels, not that anyone might be considered and expert. There are certainly many myths and legends concerning angels and while the Bible does mention angels and give accounts of angel encounters with humans, it does not give us too many details. I would suggest that the reason the Bible does not give details is because our knowledge and understanding of angels is not important especially concerning our spiritual well being and our eternal salvation. I have done a little research and so I want to begin by sharing some information about angels. Let me also admit that these are not my words, but I am simply passing down to you what I have found.
The Festival of St. Michael and All Angels originated in the fifth century when a small church near Rome was dedicated in honor of the archangel Michael. This is the only festival regarding angels on the Lutheran calendar. St. Michael, whose name means “who is like unto God,” appears to be the leader of the archangels (Jude 9). During the Middle Ages, the Festival of St. Michael and All Angels (also known as Michaelmas) was one of the three holy days that divided the season after Pentecost. Michaelmas still marks the fall term for universities and courts of law in Great Britain.
That there are orders or classes among the angels is clear from Holy Scripture which mentions “cherubim” (fighting ones), “seraphim” (burning ones), “thrones, dominions, principalities, powers,” and “archangels.” Some like to image nine choirs of angels divided into three hierarchies: Counselors, including seraphim, cherubim, and thrones; Governors, including dominions, virtues, and powers; and Messengers, including princedoms, archangels, and angels. Yet I agree with Luther: “Hence it is that men, there being nothing certain recorded upon the subject, invented the nine choirs of the angels. . . But so it is ever: where there are no plain and sure Scripture testimonies, impertinent and presumptuous men consider themselves at liberty to imagine and invent what they please.”
According to Scripture, angels are sexless, bodiless beings, created by God. Yet Scripture does note that angels sometimes take on human form. Still, and completely contrary to Hollywood, Scripture records that when angels do take on human form, it was always the male human form. Besides providing opportunity to praise God for the wonder of His ministering spirits, a sign of God’s continuing care for us, St. Michael’s Day recalls the Church’s teaching concerning the guardian angels. Traditionally, St. Michael’s Day is also the day for specific prayer on behalf of the youngest members of the congregation and a time for these children to be especially presented to receive God’s blessing.
Now, getting to our readings for today. In our Old Testament lesson for today, Daniel relates a vision he was given by God. In his vision, Daniel sees what is to happen in days to come. Namely, Daniel sees the battle in which the archangel Michael fights for the Lord with the other angels against Satan and his evil angels. Ultimately Daniel sees the victory of Christ.
Daniel also sees the coming of the day of judgement. He sees the day when Jesus will come and those who have faith in Him, those who’s names are written in the Book of Life, will be given eternal life and those who’s names are not written in the Book of Life will be cast into shame and everlasting contempt.
In our Epistle lesson for today, John is given a vision from the Lord. John sees the war between Michael and the angels and the devil and his evil angels. John also sees how the devil who is called Satan, who is the deceiver of the whole world is thrown down to earth where he is continually tempting us and trying every way he can to get us to blaspheme God, at least he is continuing this tempting until Christ’s return.
And John also sees the victory won by the blood of the Lamb. It is Jesus suffering and death, the shedding of His blood which defeated the devil, yet the devil is still around working to do as much damage to God and His people as he can, especially since “he knows that his time is short.”
In the Gospel lesson for today, we have the account of the return of the seventy-two whom Jesus sent out with authority and power. Jesus had sent out the seventy-two and told them to “heal the sick” “and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’”
As the seventy-two returned, Jesus listens to their report, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name.” The seventy-two were amazed at what they were able to do in Jesus’ name. And Jesus attests to what they were able to do as He says, “I saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven.” Not only does the archangel Michael and all the angels have power over the devil, so our Lord gives us power over Satan, in His name.
Jesus then reiterates His giving of authority. “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.” Jesus does not mean for us to think that in and of ourselves we have power to defeat the devil or even to stand against Him, but in His name we have the power to stand up to the devil and even to defeat him.
“Nevertheless,” Jesus says, there is something even more important than having such power and that is that we are to rejoice in the greater or the greatest joy, that is that our names are written in the book of life in heaven. And this is so, because of what Jesus has done for us.
Which brings us to our “What does this mean?” question or our “So what?” of our text. The first and foremost “so what” is that we do not worship the angels. Time and again God sent His angels to deliver messages to people on earth and as those people to whom they were sent would bow down and want to give them homage and honor to the angels, the angels would have nothing to do with that, because they did not come to be given homage or honor, nor did they come for any reason of their own, rather they came to do the will and bidding of God in heaven. No, we do not worship angels, but we do recognize the fact that there are angels and we do recognize their work.
One of the works of the angels is that they are God’s messengers. That is what the word angel means, messenger. The angels were created to do God’s bidding. The angels are sent by God to bring messages to His people. Throughout the Bible we hear time and again of an angel delivering a message from God. In the Old Testament we have the account of the angels visiting Abraham and going to see what was happening in Sodom and Gomorrah; the account of the angel with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace. In the New Testament especially during Advent we hear of a lot of angel activity as the angel appears to Zechariah, as an angel appears to Mary, as an angel appears to Joseph, as an angel and as multitudes of angels appear to the shepherds to announce the birth of the Messiah, the Savior of the world, even Jesus Himself.
Angels also watch over us. There are many stories of people seeing unseen angels. In the Old Testament we have the account of Elijah asking the Lord to show his servant all the angels who were protecting him so that he would not be afraid. I have heard the story of a missionary who was new in the mission field. He was working with a group of canibals. One night his house was surrounded by the villagers, yet they never attacked. Years later, after the chief of the village became a Christian and after the village was converted, the missionary asked the chief about that night. He asked the chief why they did not attack and the chief’s response was because of all the people that were with the man, in other words, God opened the eyes of the chief to see all His protecting angels and that kept the missionary alive.
As I alluded to earlier, I do believe that we have angels who are always with us guarding and protecting us. I also believe that children especially have their own angels as they too are precious in God’s eyes. Time and again, as we are protected from what appears to be certain disaster, I am convince that the reason we come out unscathed is because of our guardian angels.
Angels also war against the devil for God and on our behalf. We are daily harassed by the temptations of the devil and no, we cannot defeat Satan by ourselves. God sends His angels to help us in our war against the devil and his evil angels.
The angels work and they do war against the devil and his evil angels. No, I cannot tell you exactly how this war is waged. I am sure that Hollywood could give a great visual rendition if they set out to, but I do know what the Bible says and it tells us of these great wars between the evil angels and God’s angels and of course, God’s angels win.
God’s angels win the battles because the victory of the war, the spiritual war, the battle for our souls, has already been won for us. The war has been won through Jesus’ life, suffering, death, and resurrection. God is the one who created all, including angels. We are the ones who rebel against God, as did Lucifer, the devil. As the devil brings charges against us, we look to Jesus who took care of our punishment, by taking our sins upon Himself and by suffering and dying, paying the price for our sins so that we are free.
Yes, we rejoice in the fact that we have angels watching over us. We rejoice in the power we have in Jesus’ name. Nevertheless, Jesus tells us, “do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” We rejoice because, by faith, given to us through the means of grace, by faith in Jesus alone, our names are written in the book of heaven. Thanks the Lord and to Him be the glory, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
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