Carl Witty
01/22/18
God's creation as recorded in Genesis 1-3 shows man made in the image of God, made male and female, as the culminating act of six days of divine action. All that God had created was pronounced as "very good" and was described as having been created to enable man to "Be fruitful and multiply; (to) fill the earth and subdue it; (to) have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." Genesis 1:28
Our Sunday morning reading from Isaiah 40:25-31 emphasizes God as Creator. Homer Hailey has written, in reference to Verse 26: "There come times in the life of man when he needs to lift up his eyes to the stars, not to worship them as did the ancients, nor to look for guidance as do modern astrologers, but to see behind them the face of their Creator. To those of His people who will find themselves in Babylon, feeling that He has forgotten them, Jehovah says, Lift up your eyes on high, and see who hath created these, that bringeth out their host by number; he calleth them all by name, by the greatness of his might, and for that he is strong in power, not one is lacking. Night after night each star is brought out by its Creator; not one is overlooked. If God, who loves His children as a devoted Father, looks after each inanimate heavenly body, will He not care for His sons and daughters? At times we may feel that God has forgotten and that He does not care. When this feeling comes, let the discouraged one lift up his eyes and beyond the stars see a God of infinite power and a Father equally infinite in love; He cares and never forgets."
God's spiritual creation is equally impressive. Christians are those who "are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" - Ephesians 2:10. The spiritual creation of those who will be the "heirs of salvation" - Hebrews 1:14 (KJV) is, however, in contrast to God's physical creation, a gradual process by which we are transformed into the likeness of God's Son. We are to yield ourselves, as willing participants, to God's process, described by Paul in Ephesians 4:23,24, to "be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." The transformation taking place requires that we keep our eyes focused on Jesus. In 2 Corinthians 3:18 the same apostle explains, "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."
Both of the above creations are evidence of God's wonderful love and abundant provisions for His beloved mankind. The creation of angels, spiritual beings created by God to further His purposes, also took place at some distant time in the past. God made angels spirit beings (Hebrews 1:7), and used them extensively in the Old Testament period as messengers of His will, as helpers of the righteous, and as executors of His divine wrath. Today angels are said to be "ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation" - Hebrews 1:14.
Over 300 passages discuss what angels are doing (and will do) for us today. The acrostic ANGELICAL demonstrates God's help to us through these wonderful and powerful heavenly beings.
Angels protect us
Psalm 34:7 - "The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them."
Never without the help of angels
Psalm 91:11 - "For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways."
God hears angelic reports
Matthew 18:10 - "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven."
Every lawless one will be removed by angels
Matthew 13:41 - "The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness."
Lovers of God are gathered by angels
Matthew 24:31 - "And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."
I confess Christ and He confesses me before angels
Luke12:8,9 - "Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God."
Confession of sin and change of life bring joy to the angels
Luke 15:10 - "Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
All the faithful are carried by angels to Abraham's bosom
Luke 16:22 - "So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried."
Live for God and angels will minister to you
Hebrews 1:14 - "Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?"
Be thankful to God for His creations!