Weekly Thoughts
Angel Army Stopped! 12/24/08
Hi all,
The most powerful army ever seen is the angelic army of heaven. It has never been defeated and its leader has wisdom in battle tactics beyond what any enemy could match. Yet there was 1 time in recorded history it was stopped cold in it's tracks and simply turned away.
How powerful is the army?
It is so powerful that even 1 angel has enough authority backed by God's power to be able to level cities or destroy whole human armies:
In Genesis 19:13, 22 the lead angel (of the 2) sent to save Lot and his family from Sodom and the 5 cities around the Dead Sea told him "the Lord has sent us to destroy it", which they did quite thoroughly!
In II Kings 19:35 1 angel killed 185,000 soldiers who were assembled to wipe out Hezekiah and Judah.
In II Samuel 24:15-17, in judgement against Jerusalem 1 angel killed 70,000 over 3 days until David saw the angel and repented.
In New Testament times 1 angel executed Herod for receiving glory he knew should have been directed to God. (Acts 12:23)
The prophet Micaiah said "I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host (army) of heaven standing on his right, and on his left." (II Chron 18:18)
This army is ready for any assignment!
Who is their leader?
We are told in Daniel 12:1 that the archangel Michael is the angel in charge of guarding Israel.
But who is in charge of Michael? That answer is found in Joshua 5:13-15 and 6:1-2. The situation is that Joshua has led the new nation of Israel from the wilderness following Moses' death and entered the Promised Land, and the great walled city of Jericho stands in their way.
The passage states Joshua saw a man near him with sword drawn, and Joshua went to meet him asking, "Are you for us, or for our adversaries?" The man replied "No, but as Captain of the army of the Lord am I now come." (In other words, for or against isn't the subject today Joshua, I'm here for something else, as Captain of the army of the Lord)
I've seen speculation that this was an angel, and one popular book claiming a man had a conversation with this angel was at one time quite popular, but that's error.
The truth is this was the Lord, a pre-incarnate appearance by Christ, to Joshua. The reason we know this is at least 3-fold, the first being that Joshua fell on his face and worshipped him. Angels don't receive worship, so we know right off this Captain of the army of the Lord is Christ.
Secondly, along with receiving worship, He directs Joshua to remove his shoes in his presence, the same instructions given Moses in Exodus 3:5 when the Lord appeared to him in the burning bush. Years later Christ Jesus claimed to be the one who spoke to Moses from the bush. (John 8:58, 18:5-6, Mt 14:27 Amp)
Thirdly, like Moses before him, Joshua (presumably the author of the end of Deuteronomy and Joshua), stated the human or earth perspective first, then the heavenly. This style of writing is also found in Genesis 18 where the author Moses states 3 men came to Abraham in the heat of the day and ate a meal with him. That's earth's perspective. But later in the chapter it is revealed 1 of those men was Christ as Abraham interceded for the city, getting the Lord to agree not to destroy it if 10 righteous could be found, and the other 2 were the angels sent to destroy Sodom and rescue Lot.
Joshua writes in similar fashion, stating first the earthly appearance of a man, but quickly reveals it is Christ, as chapter 6 flows on into this revelation by stating "And the Lord said to Joshua..." (not the angel said...), and He gave him instructions on how to take the city.
Christ Jesus then, is clearly the "Captain of the army of the Lord."
Setting the stage: The only time the army is stopped cold
And this brings me to the 1 scripture that mentions the heavenly army assembled together on the earth; yet no warring action is taken against man.
When Israel settled in the Promised Land heavily populated cities arose over time, crowded with people who had left farms and flocks to earn their living in town, just as it happens today all over the world. The burden to feed and supply those cities therefore fell upon a relatively small number of farmers, ranchers, and shepherds, just as today.
The number of Levites had also increased of course, far beyond the small number needed for service in the temple. A need developed to raise sheep and other animals that could be sold for sacrifice at the temple in Jerusalem to those city dwellers who no longer had a connection to the land
Thus the Levites became shepherds and were based in and around the town of Bethlehem. On a spring night long ago a group of those Levite shepherds were in the fields, watching over their animals destined for sacrifice in the temple, when suddenly a lone angel came to them. (Luke 2:9)
Are we going to be destroyed?
But the angel comes with added emphasis: "...and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were very afraid." (2:9) No wonder they were afraid! They were probably wondering what they had done, or what their nation had done, to become the focus of God's wrath! After all, the last prophet was Malachi some 400 years earlier, and he didn't have good things to say about them - surely they were going to be destroyed!
Being Levite shepherds, they were well educated in all the Old Testament instances of angelic power; they knew the power even 1 angel has to level cities or armies by himself!
But the angel's message is that which has been repeated in countless Christmas pageants down through the years: "Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord..."
It must be noted that the Father allowed this lone angel to put the shepherds at ease by his announcement before he revealed who was surrounding these poor men that night, because if they had seen who was WITH this angel, I think the shepherds may have passed out or literally been scared to death.
The reason? The Father sent his heavenly army! But not to make a declaration of war with planet earth, rather a statement of peace: "Suddenly the angel was joined by a vast host of others - the armies of heaven - praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.' And when this great army of angels returned to heaven..." (KJV; Living Bible)
The army of God had descended to earth not to kill the shepherds, not to destroy cities, not to destroy armies, but in unison they all took part making an announcement of peace: Peace on earth, good will toward men.
Not Barney's "I love you, you love me, we're a happy family"
This army was not telling earthlings to be at peace with one another and have good will toward each other. They were an army restrained, redirected, sent as emissaries to announce that God the Father is saying to mankind "Peace to earth, I have good will toward men!" (The proof is that baby in town, my Son!)
The heavenly army was declaring a peace treaty with mankind because of the gift of Jesus Christ. Years later Paul would write that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their sins unto them, but unto Christ. (II Cor 5:19-21)
And this is the 1 time in scripture, that we see the armies of heaven stopped in their tracks.
Their Captain, their leader, had become a human baby, born in a cave, laying in a feed trough wrapped in "swaddling clothes" ("swaddling clothes" is underwear, the softest material)
Can you imagine what the angels thought? The amazement, the wonder, the awe - the Captain of the army of the Lord who gave Joshua instructions on how to take Jericho. Their Creator, had emptied himself of all His authority and become one of his creations!
This great army simply turned aside after their announcement and returned to heaven in great awe that to those lowly priest-shepherds, their Captain had come! But perhaps also they were looking forward to the day they would be able to serve those who have inherited the salvation the Captain of the Lord's army wrought!
Are we not also in awe and amazement at what Christ has done, and celebrate him at this time of year?!
"Who, though He was God, did not demand and cling to His rights as God. But laid aside His mighty power and glory, taking the disguise of a slave and becoming like men. And he humbled Himself even further, going so far as actually to die a criminal's death on a cross. Yet it was because of this that God raised Him up to the heights of heaven and gave Him a name which is above every other name. That at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth. And every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:6-11, Living)
Merry Christmas,
Blessings,
John Fenn
