LOGOS BIBLE STUDY

LESSON 1140:9 ANGELS AND SPIRITSDEMOS - THE SPIRIT WORLD

I. ANGELS, GOD'S DIVINE MESSENGERS

NOTE: Angel means messenger; a spokesman sent or dispatched with a message or task.

A. Angels are a created order of spirit beings - Hebrews 1:7.

1. God made them sometime in the distant past - Colossians 1:16.

2. Since they are an order and not a race, God made each individually.

a. They do not reproduce themselves - Matthew 22:30.

b. Therefore there is no sex distinction for angels.

3. They are most often referred to or seen in masculine form - Mark 16:5 and Acts 1:10-11.

a. No reference to female angels, though it may be possible for them to appear as such under certain circumstances.

4. They are personal spirit beings with spirit bodies, not flesh and blood physical bodies as humans man haves - Hebrews 1:13-14.

a. They have their own personalities (souls?), feelings, desires and intellect. i. They most likely have names to match their position,

character or function - Daniel 8:16; 9:21; 10:13, 21.

B. They were made a different life form than man.

1. Angels are not limited to the physical realm of earth as is man.

a. They are inter-dimensional and move within our three dimensional existence to the fourth dimension and beyond.

i. The heavenly realm is their primary domain as they are referred to as “the heavenly host” – Luke 2:13.

2. They can do all things mankind can do plus things in the spirit realm where they live and function.

a. They can also do many things man can’t do, even in this physical realm.

3. The are stronger than man - 2 Peter 2:11.

a. Since they are spiritual being they are supernatural – beyond our natural limitations.

i. Their abilities are beyond ours, thus supernatural.

4. They have more knowledge than man - 2 Samuel 14:20.

a. Their knowledge comes from God and the realm in which they occupy which exceeds and envelops our own.

i. They see God and observe Him in operation, thus they have knowledge of His doings.

5. Their number is great - Hebrews 12:22.

C. They have their own bodily form; a spirit body - Daniel 9:5-6.

1. They do not need physical organs, nor do they assimilate

nutrients to maintain their lives as we do.

2. They can take on human form, appearance and function of man - Genesis 19:1-13.

a. This is called transmogrification.

II. TYPES AND RANKS OF ANGELS

A. God made certain angels for certain functions. Each has differing abilities, powers, purposes and talents coinciding with their respective rank. This is revealed in the difference between Michael and Gabriel and others who ministered to Mary,

Jesus, Paul, Peter, etc.

[1.] 1. Cherubim (Cherubs): a top level in rank1. type, a ruler of an item

area or domain of God.

a. A special rank with responsibility to guard, keep and protect a specific item of concern something belonging to God.

i. The Tree of Life - Genesis 3:24.

ii. The Ark of the Covenant - Exodus 25:18-20.

iii. The earth - Ezekiel 28:13-15.

aa. Lucifer, the covering Cherub, was placed in charge of planet earth in the dateless past – Job 1:7 and 2:2.

NOTE: "Cover" means to fence in; to protect; defend and guard with

all responsibility.

iv. Indications are that God has other angelic beings rruling over all His creation; including : each nation; city, etc.

2. Seraphim (fiery serpents) - indicationsmplications are that they are God's servants who execute judgment on unrighteousness - Isaiah 6:1-6 and 14:29.

a. They purge and burn out uncleanness.

3. Archangel - chief angel, prince or ruler angel.

a. Michael (meaning "who is like God") is the Prince of Israel - Daniel 10:21; and 12:1.

i. He is assigned to be protector (spirit guardruler) of the nation of Israel under the

terms of the Old Covenant.

4. Principalities - prince (ruling) spirits - Daniel 10:13.

a. This includes evil spirit entities that are mentioned in Ephesians 6:12.

5. Powers – spirit beings who exercise supernatural abilities in the spirit realm, or beyond what we perceive as being natural – Matthew 24:29; Romans 8:38.

a. “Power” is from the Greek dunamis and means miraculous or superhuman ability.

i. Another form is from the Greek word exousia meaning privilege, force authority and influence and also implies superhuman in this usage.

b. These “powers” are of a lower rank than “principality” spirits.

Note: more on this topic of ranking later on in this lesson.

B. Ranking was established to maintain order - Ephesians 6:10-12; 3:10; 1:21 (and Romans 8:38).

1. Lucifer maintained the ranking of those who followed him.

2. The ranking covers the mightiest to the least significant spirit (demon).

Note: "Religious" demons seem to be very strong, they are referred toas "nephalem" which is the word translated "giants" in Genesis 6:4.These giants were the results of Lucifer's angels interfering withthe human race to prevent the promised seed of the woman from coming.Since that time the "nephalem" have been oppressing mankind as religious spirits and strongholds. Could demons be the spirits ofthe dead nephalem?

III. THE PURPOSE AND MINISTRY OF GOD'S ANGELS.

A. Divine messengers between God and man.

1. They travel back and forth from the Throne of God to earth - Genesis 28:12; ( (transinter-dimensional rather that extra-terrestrial).

a. Satan (Lucifer) did this even after He rebelled - Job 1:6-7.

2. They work to communicate and carry out God's will to aid the saints -– Hebrews 1:14.

B. They also communicate or convey messages from God that man needs to know -– Daniel 9:21-23.

1. In response to Daniel's intercession for Israel - see Daniel 10:5 & 14.

a. To reveal the future - Daniel 8:15-19.

NOTE: Angels communicate with saints under the Old Covenant. The Holy Spirit now does most of this under the New Covenant. Why? .... because the Holy Spirit wasn't given to man until after Christ's ascension - John 7:39. Angels still do some, but mostly for those who don't have ears to hear the Spirit speak or for those who are not born again.

2. To tell and prepare for special events or carry out assigned tasks on man’s behalf.

a. Zacharias - Luke 1:11-20.

b. Mary - Luke 1:26-37.

c. Joseph - Matthew 1:18-21; 2:13, 19-20.

3. Angels are involved in evangelism and spreading the gospel - Acts 8:26 and Revelation 14:6-7.

a. Cornelius - Acts 10:3-7, 22.

b. Making sure that the gospel is brought to those for whom saints are praying, as well as protecting those (missionaries) who bring the gospel message to others.

i. Many testimonies of angel's working (in the see book Angel's On Assignment by Billy Graham), and books by other authors recording such accounts.

C. To assist and serve the Saints - Hebrews 1:13-14.

1. The apostles - Acts 5:18-21, 25.

2. Peter - Acts 12:5-11.

a. Notice this act of the angel was in response to the prayers of the church - vs 5.

D. To guard and protect God's servants - Psalm 34:7.

1. Elijah - 2 Kings 6:15-17.

2. Converts - Matthew 18:3-4, 10.

[a.] a. Being in God's presence, they are dispatched from the [b.] throne to come to

our aid at His command.

3. Jesus is an example - Matthew 4:5-7.

a. This applies to all who trust in Him - Psalm 91:9-12.

4. Paul - Acts 27:22-24.

a. The angel was sent to hold the ship together.

E. Angels are sent to encourage, and supply needs at certain times.

1. After being weakened in a spiritual/physical conflict - Matthew 4:11.

a. They most likely brought food and drink.

2. Christ's agony - Luke 22:42-44.

a. He was in torment of soul (emotions) which wears down the body strength and the will.

i. The angel encouraged him, probably by getting his attention off of what he had to endure and on the glorious results that would be produced afterward.

3. Paul's dilemma receives new hope - Acts 27:23-24.

a. The angel was there to see them through and gave words of comfort and encouragement.

F. Angels worship of God - Hebrews 1:6

1. On earth at special occasions - Luke 2:8-14.

2. In heaven - Revelation 5:11-14.

G. Angels escort saints at death.

1. Lazarus - Luke 16:22.

2. Saints - Matthew 24:31.

3. Current testimonies of departing saints.

H. They can have great power - Revelation 20:1-3. 1. Many wondrous things they have done and will do.

2. They perform miracles (supernatural feats) - Gen. 19:10-11.

a. They do things in the spirit realm that are natural to them, but supernatural to us.

I. They are used to execute judgment on the wicked, ((not on the righteous)) -– Psalm 35:1-6.

1. Sodom and Gomorrah - Genesis 19:1, 11, 13 (note vs 22).

[2.] 2. Assyrians - 2 Kings 19:32-35.

[3.] 3. Herod - Acts 12:21-23.

4. At the end of this age - Matthew 13:49-50.

5. During the 7 year tribulation.

a. The 7 Trumpet Judgments - Revelation 8:6-11, 15.

i. E ach trumpet sounds an alarm as to an event that begins.

a. b. The 7 Vial Judgments - Revelation 15:1, & 16:1-21.

i. Each vial is the initiation of the actual event that is announced by each respective “trumpet”.

NOTE: Scripture does not record a "Death Angel" as many have supposed. This is superstition of man from pagan origin. However, there is an angel of destruction with a sword who is sent to destroy - 1 Chronicles 21:12, 15, & 27.

IV. SATAN'S ANGELS AND SPRIRITS

A. These are angels and spriritss who followed Lucifer in his rebellion against God.

1. It is recordedpresumed that this involved 1/3 of the angels - Revelation 12:4 & 7.

NOTE: I find it is curious that Revelation deals with all future events, yet in this one instance it seems to refer to something which happened in eternity past. Is there is another meaning to this as a future occurrence?

a. It is obviously this same group of angels at this future struggle that rebelled with Lucifer in the past; long before the 6 day re-creation.

B. Lucifer also maintains a ranking for his forces -

Ephesians 6:12.

1. The prince of Persia and Greece were obviously angels with the same rank and power as Gabriel - Daniel 10:13.

a. Gabriel was evenly matched and needed Michael's help.

C. Satan - (Lucifer is his name, Satan is his descriptive title), uses these forces to oppose and resist God, and His plan and His people.

1. To try to prevent God's Word of judgment from being fulfilled to him -– Genesis 3:15.

a. He ordered some of his angels to confound the human race and blood line so as to destroy the seed of the woman - Genesis 6:1-5.

i. Angels are sometimes referred to as Sons of God because they are God's personal creation as in off- springmade by Him.

b. Only one family lineage remained pure and untainted, Noah - Genesis 6:5-8.

i. God set out to preserve this family and seed to start over repopulating the earth - Gen. 6:11-13 and 6:17-18.

2. Special punishment was ordained for these angels that materialized, (called ( transmogrification), in human form to engage lay with women - 2 Peter 2:4-5 and Jude 6.

a. There is a special hell for them called "Tartaros" which appears to be beneath the regular hell.

D. Extra-dimensional beings, not extraterrestrial.

1. Not from other planets in space, but from other dimensions that co-exist with ours and may entirely envelop us.

E. There is a ranking was established to maintain order - Ephesians 6:10-12; 3:10; 1:2; and Romans 8:38.

1. Lucifer maintained the ranking of various levels of those aligned with him.

a. Principalities – angles that have governmental influence over nations, states, to effect Satan’s evil will on human rulers and politicians – as references abovein Daniel.

b. Powers – those angels or spirits that effect changes in human affairs such as war, weather and other material effects.

c. Rulers of darkness of this world – those angels or spirits that promote the occult and false religions and worship of things or people other than God.

d. Spiritual wickedness in high (heavenly) places – evil or unclean spirits (demons) that oppress and oppose mankind by temptation and manipulation.

2. The ranking covers the mightiest angel to the least significant spirit (demon).

Note: In Genesis 6:4 we read of the "nephalem" which is the word translated "giants" in this verse. These giants were the results of some of Lucifer's angels interfering withthe human race to prevent the promised seed of the woman from coming, (Genesis 3:15). Since that time it appears that a form of the "nephalem" have been oppressing mankind as religious spirits and strongholds. It is speculated that demons are the spirits of the dead nephalem (giants)? It also appears that tales handed down from those early times are likely the route of the Greek mythological gods since these giant nephalem appeared to have super-human strengths, knowledge and abilities.

V. DEMON SPIRITS

A. Demons aredo not seem to be the same as angels and they do not have spiritual bodies.

1. They are spirit beings, but have no ability to transmogrify as do angels.

a. They were often referred to as "evil" or "unclean" spirits, (devils) -– Matthew 8:16.

i. They awere also identified by their specific nature or (lust) such as infirmity, fear, seductioning, lunacy, etc.

b. Demons appear to need physical bodies in which they can fulfill their evil, unclean desires and character traits in.

i. Each has his own personality, trait or specific unclean desire.

c. Demons, as spirits, can enter into and inhabit a body, whether human or animal is nnot important as long as it can fulfill its desires in that physical body.

i. Satan's angels do not appear to do this.

B. Demons appear to be confined to the earth with man yet operate in the fourth dimension, the unseen "spirit" realm.

1. They are a lower level of life form than angels.

2. Angels are celestial spirit beings, demons are terrestrial spirit beings.

aA. Terrestrial = earth bound.

C. Demons appear to be under the command of Satan's angels, as though they are the lower in rank in the enemies army.

a. Even among them there appears to be a ranking or level.

NOTE: another tTheory on the origin of demons is that they are the spirits ofthose beings that populated the earth during the rule of Lucifer before his rebellion - Isaiah 14:12. Add this to the ; or possibility that the are the spirits of the giants (nephelim) who have since died. This is indicated by their need for a physical body in which they can satisfy their material lustful desires. This implies that they once had a relation to a physical environment in physical bodies sometime in the past.

1. They were subject to Lucifer and followed in his rebellion.

2. Those physical beings had spirits of their own.

3. Spirits do not die as physical bodies do, so they continue on today, only as unclean or evil spirits.

a. They are sStill under the control and direction of Satan/Lucifer.

4. Judgment (that left the earth under water and in a state of chaos is what killed them if they are the spirits of the life forms that existed previously - Genesis 1:2.

a. Their spirits live on, still ruled by Satan, to tempt, oppress, afflict and torment man.

i. They still have their evil lusts which they try to fulfill in and through the physical bodies of men.

VI. THE SPIRIT REALM

A. So called because it is where spirit beings operate, including God, the Holy Spirit, all angels and demons.

1. It is parallel to and co-habits with the physical realm.

2. Itn decades past it hwas been called the fourth dimension, the realm of the unseen.

B. It is the second heaven - 2 Corinthians 12:2.

1. The first heaven (from man's view) is the natural one from earth and up through space.

a. This includes earth's atmosphere and out into space to ininclude our solar system, stars and the physical expanse of tthe universe.

2. The second heaven is the spirit realm, the unseen.

a. It encompasses the same area of earth, sky and space as does the first heaven, only it is where the unseen forces and spirit beings operate. i. This is where spiritual the warfare occurs that Gabriel told Daniel about.

[4.] ii. This is the heaven that Satan will be cast out of in the [5.] future -–

RRevelation 12:7-13.

aa. This is why he will be so mad, because ; he can't hide and work invisibly anymore.

3. The third heaven is God's place, where His throne and His

actual being is.

Note other theories as to the three heavens exclude other dimensions and try to fit all within our limited three dimensional awareness which actually denies the spirit realm.

a. This “third heaven” is what Paul saw and said was indescribable - 2 Corinthians 12:2-4.

b. Some refer to the third heaven as a planet.

c. Others say it is the Holy City where God the Father presides with Christ at His right hand and is in this physical universe.

ia. Thise same city that is headed for earth and appears to orbit earth as described in Ezekiel and Revelation.

aa. Proof that the Heavenly City, the “new” Jerusalem will orbit the in space is due to its size and the measurements show it could not possible fit on planet earth as it exists now – Revelation 21:15-17.

bb. The heavenly city is 1500 miles wide, 1500 miles long and 1500 miles high (which is part way to the moon) – a furlong being 12 ½ feet.

cc. Even the walls are 300 feet high - a cubit being 25 inches.

C. Things that happen in the spirit realm affect, and usually determine the things that happen in the physical realm afterward - - Ephesians 6:10-18.

1. As demonstrated by the wars fought by Gabriel and Michael asnd revealed to Daniel.

a. The empires of man appear to be predetermined by events

in the spirit realm -– Daniel 10:13 & 20.

D. It is in this realm that your prayers must pass through.

1. Your answers come back through this realm from God.

a. They can be hindered in this area by Satan's forces, which is why we are to be persistent in prayer until we receive - Luke 18:1-17.

i. Persistence is to overcome the enemy's obstacles, not to convince God -– Daniel 10:12-13.

E. Redeemed mMan (a true Christian) is part spirit being - reborn in spirit through Jesus and given His authority which subjugates the spirit realm.

1. We can affect things in the spirit realm by prayer.

a. Spiritual preparedness - Ephesians 6:11-17.

b. Intercession for others - vs 18.

c. Praying in the spirit, tongues - Romans 8:26 and 1 Corinthians 14:15.

i. Satan's forces do not know what you are praying - 1 Corinthians 14:2.

ii. They don't know enough to stop an answer or who its for.

iii. iii. This is why Satan fights so strongly against tongues; it's a powerful prayer weapon against his forces that he hates.