Angelic Intervention
(Especially in Answered Prayer)

I. Establishing Seven Premises:

1. We do not worship angels. We worship and seek God Himself. Angels are merely His servants.
a) Rev 22:8-9--Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. Then he said to me, "See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God." (NKJ)

b) Col 2:18-19--Let no one keep defrauding (disqualify) you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God. (NAS) 

2. An answer to prayer requires Divine intervention. By definition, this is exactly what prayer is.

3. Divine intervention means that angels are involved as the agents of God.
Ten plagues in the book of Exodus--Ps 78:49--He cast on them the fierceness of His anger, wrath, indignation, and trouble, by sending angels of destruction among them. (NKJ) (v.43-53) 

4. Angels are involved in every activity of man, including the normal activities of man.
Genesis 16:5-13---Family difficulties--Supernatural guidance and direction to Hagar. 
Genesis 21:14-20—Family difficulties--Supernatural provision and protection of Ishmael. 
Genesis 24:7, 40—Arranging a marriage. 

5. Angels are especially active in the answering of prayers.
Cornelius—Acts 10:1-7; 30-33 

6. Angels under the direction of God, control the destinies of individuals and the direction of nations. 
Daniel 4:13-17; 23-26; 34-45 – The decrees of “watchers” 

7. God’s angels will always act in harmony with God’s will. They will always line up with the 
purposes of God. 
Balaam – Numbers 22:12, 22-35 

The Number and Activity of Angels:

A. Angels number at least 100,000,000 (100 million), but actually they are innumerable.

1. Rev 5:11--Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, (NKJ)

2. Jer 33:22--'As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, nor the sand of the sea measured, so will I multiply the descendants of David My servant and the Levites who minister to Me.'"

3. Heb 12:22--But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, (NKJ)

4. Dan 7:9-10--"I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated; his garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, and the books were opened. (NKJ) (See Ps 68:17)

5. Matt 26:52-54--But Jesus said to him, "Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? "How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?" (NKJ) [A legion is approximately 6,000 foot soldiers plus 600 Calvary totaling 6,600 x 12 = 79,200; Amplified translates the number as 80,000.]

6. Rev 20:1-3--Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while. (NKJ)

Angels as Referred to in the Scripture as:

1. The Army of God i.e. Lord of Hosts -- Over 300 occurrences of this Name of God in the Bible. Some examples are: Ps 103:20-21; Ps 24:9-10; Ps 80:4, 7, 14, 19; Ps 84:1, 3, 8, 12; Jer 32:14-19a;
I Sam 17:45-47; Isa 44:6; 47;4; 48:2; 51:15; 54:5; Jer 15:16; 26:18;

2. Angels –Over 290 occurrences of these words used in the Bible to refer to angels. 

Old Testament (4397 mal'ak) from an unused root meaning, to dispatch as a deputy; an angel 
(also sometimes refers to a prophet, priest or teacher); a messenger

New Testament (32 ang'-el-os)--a messenger from God, an angel, one who was sent, an envoy.

Basic Concept/Revelation: sign seen on a church wall.
“UNEMPLOYED ANGELS -- PLEASE PRAY!”

Heb 1:13-14--But to which of the angels has He ever said: 
"Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool"? 
Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister 
for those who will inherit salvation? (NKJ)

IV. Key Passages:

Genesis 18:1-16—Angels disguised as men visit Abraham 
Genesis 19:1-23—Two Angels save Lot from the destruction of Sodom 
Genesis 22:10-12—Isaac spared from death by the Angel 
Genesis 28:12-17—Angels ascending and descending on the ladder to heaven 
*Genesis 32:1-2— Mahanaim means “double camp” 
*Genesis 48:15-16—Angel of Redemption blessed upon Joseph 
Exodus 3:1-5—Angel appears to Moses in the burning bush calling him into the ministry 
Exodus 14:19-20—Angel stands between Pharaoh’s chariots and the children of Israel 
Exodus 32:34; 33:2—My Angel shall go before you to drive out your enemies 
*Joshua 5:13-6:7--The Commander of the army of the Lord gives victory instructions for Jericho 
Judges 13:2-21—Angel gives instructions concerning the birth and raising of Samson 
*II Kings 6:13-17-- Elisha’s servant eyes are opened 
II Kings 19:35-36—Angel saves Jerusalem from Sennacherib by killing 185,000 Assyrians 
*II Chr. 18:18-24—Council Meeting in heaven with God and His Angels 
*Psalm 34:7—Angels camp around the saints to deliver them i.e. Angelic hedge! 
Isaiah—62 references (1:24; 6:1-8; 9:7; 63:9) 
Jeremiah—82 references (51:5, 14, 19, 33, 57, 58) 
Daniel 3:25-28—Deliverance of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego 
*Matthew 18:10—Angels for children 
Separate page—Angels figured largely in the life of Jesus 
Separate page—Jesus said a good deal about angels 
Separate page—Angels are constantly present in the book of Acts 
Separate page—The book of Revelation is a drama of angels 
Separate page—Quotes about angels

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