by C. Parker Thomas
(Editor’s note: This article was originally published in the May-June 1968 issue of the Midnight Cry Messenger.)
The visitation we have been experiencing these past few months has opened our spiritual eyes to the tremendous importance of angels in God’s kingdom. In fact our conception of angels and their work was so meager and incomplete we found it difficult to believe some of the things the Lord revealed to us.
Angels are mentioned around three hundred times in the Bible. The Old Testament and the New contain many references to angels visiting mortals and communicating with them. After Jesus fasted forty days and overcame Satan on the mount it is said, “Angels came and ministered unto him.” Matt. 4:11.
Who Are They?
The word angel (Heb. Mal-ak; Gr. angelos) means messenger or sent one and is applied to both created beings and men. Sometimes it is men in the flesh: Luke 7:24; James 2:25; Rev. 1:20, 2:1, 2:8, 2:12, 2:18, 3:1, 3:7, 3:14. And sometimes it applies to men in spirit form apart from their body: Matt. 18:10; Acts 12:15; Rev. 19:10, 22:9. Beyond doubt some of these are the spirits of just men made perfect. Hebrews 12:23. The angel of Rev. 10 has reference to Christ. And it is evident some Old Testament scriptures of angels refer to Deity in angelic form. Genesis 16:1-13, 21:17-19, 22:11-16, 31:11-13. Exodus 3:2-4. Judges 2:1, 6:12-16, 13:3-22.
Ungers Bible Dictionary has these interesting words to say about angels: “Angels appear most frequently and conspicuously in connection with the coming and ministry of our Lord. His words concerning the angels are of unmistakable meaning and value. According to his teaching they are personal, sinless, immortal beings, existing in great number, and in close relation not only with individual men, but also with the history of God’s kingdom (Matt. 13:39; 18:10; 22:30; 25:31; 26:53; Luke 15:10; 16:22).”
I agree with the dictionary and also believe there is a connection between the unusual visitation of angels we are experiencing and the second coming of Christ.
We have been told by the messengers that they are sent of the Lord to help us in the ministry that we might help God’s people prepare for his soon coming. No doubt this is a fulfillment of the scriptures relative to the activity of angels at the coming of Christ. Matthew 13:39, 24:31, 25:31. Rev. 12:7-11.
Another interesting comment from Ungers Bible Dictionary I agree with is as follows: “Aside from the teachings of Scripture there is nothing irrational, but quite the opposite, in believing in the existence of creatures superior to man in intelligence, as there are many inferior. The denial of the existence of Angels, as that of a personal Devil and demons, springs from the materialistic, unbelieving spirit, which in its most terrible form denies the existence of God.”
Misconceptions
We, like many others, thought angels’ only job was to deliver messages, but this is one of many misconceptions concerning their ministry. Hebrews 1:14 says, “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation.” They not only deliver messages from the Lord, but they minister strength and help in times of stress and need.
The messenger Eleazar, whom we have conversed with on several occasions, told us that he was sent to help and strengthen us in prayer. Although he has communicated with us about many things, it seems he is especially concerned about our seeking the Lord in prayer. Eleazar also came one night when we were dealing with a demon-possessed woman and literally drove off eight evil spirits which had gathered to help the spirits in the woman. One of these eight was a huge, monstrous spirit that seemed to be in command over the others.
This spirit would command the other spirits to attack us while we were battling the spirits in the woman. Esther, who was seeing all this, was very fearful when the huge spirit appeared. But in a few minutes she smiled joyfully and said, “They will have to leave now, Eleazar is here.”
Aaron, the other messenger who was also present, was seen standing between Brother John B. Campbell and myself with a hand on each of our shoulders. Several days previous to this Judy Clevenger had a vision in which she saw us casting the demons out of this woman and Aaron was standing between us in the exact manner as it came to pass.
There is no doubt in our minds that God’s angels are actively engaged in fighting the devil and his angels. Rev. 18:7. Daniel 10:12-13. On another occasion, Esther saw Eleazar, in a vision, being attacked by many vicious demons which were too many for him to fight alone. Calling for help, many angels came quickly to his rescue and drove the demons off. No doubt this is what Jesus was talking about when he said he could call and the Father would send him more than twelve legion of angels. Matthew 26:53.
Esther, Judy, and Paul have taken trips in the spirit with the messengers of the Lord who have shown them how Satan and his demon host afflict men. Going first into the infernal regions, they saw Lucifer on his throne and millions of demons being loosed to prey upon man. Then they were allowed to see these loosed spirits as they began to attack human beings upon the earth.
They saw these spirits cause men to smoke, steal, murder, and commit suicide. They also saw men afflicted with horrible diseases caused by the demons.
In addition to Satan’s kingdom being revealed to us in a most amazing way through the ministries of these angels, they have taken some of our seers back in time and shown them many Biblical scenes exactly as they transpired.
Judy Clevenger went back to the crucifixion and saw Christ exactly as he died on the cross between the two thieves. She saw and heard the mocking Roman soldiers and the two thieves as one mocked and the other asked to be remembered by Jesus when he came into his kingdom.
Judy saw some of the same things the Lord showed Ezekiel when he was carried back to Jerusalem to witness the idolatry of Israel. Ezekiel 8. She witnessed the Philistines cut off King Saul’s head and pin his body and his three sons to the wall of Beth-shan, including the burial of their bones under a tree and the fasting of the valiant men afterwards. I Samuel 31. She has also been shown many other Bible scenes as they transpired that we do not have space to mention here.
Paul Campbell was taken back in time and witnessed the trial of Jesus as they scourged and crowned him with thorns. He saw and heard Pilate as he washed his hands before the people. He heard the people cry release Barabbas and crucify Jesus. He saw Jesus fall under the weight of the cross three times as he was carrying it up Golgotha’s hill before Simon came up and helped him. He beheld the soldiers as they nailed him to the cross with large wooden pegs used as nails.
There were many other things that Paul witnessed in this experience exactly as they transpired. It was so vivid and real to him he was weeping when it was over. I believe they are actually seeing these things exactly as they happened. The angel Aaron told us that he took Judy back in time and showed her these things.
Through these experiences by our seers the body of Christ is being allowed to see these things in a most vivid way. Though we have the Bible record of these things, God is giving us this witness by children and young people that literally makes the scriptures live before us.
We personally believe that angels have always been actively engaged in such work, but this is the day when the Lord is pulling back the veil and showing how it is done.
Twenty angels under the leadership of Aaron were seen in the church while we were worshipping and praising the Lord. They were worshipping and praising the Lord with us. If this sounds fantastic just read your Bible and believe it. I Cor. 11:10. Luke 2:8-14.
Chosen Accordingly
I know from a conversation I had with the angel Aaron that ministering spirits who are sent to us in the earth realm are chosen and sent according to the type of ministry we have. Even as human personnel are chosen and placed according to their qualifications in an earthly organization, the God of all wisdom knows which angel to send to us.
Did it ever occur to you that Elijah may have been literally ministering to man again through John the Baptist? Malachi 4:5. Matthew 17:10-13. And that Elijah, as a ministering spirit, would again minister to man through a prophetic voice before the coming of Christ? I do not mean in the sense of reincarnation but as a ministering spirit sent of the Lord to minister to and inspire another ministry still in the flesh.
Some who object to this say we don’t need angels since we have the Holy Spirit. But that is not true. The angels haven’t all retired since Pentecost. If so, why did the Lord send an angel to Samaria to tell Philip to “…arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert”? Acts 8:26. The next instructions given to Philip were by the Holy Spirit, which told him to “…go near, and join thyself to this chariot.”
The Holy Spirit does not take the place of angels who in reality are under the control of the Holy Spirit. As ministering spirits they work from the other realm of God’s kingdom even as the ministries of Christ still in the flesh have to work from this side.
The Holy Spirit can speak to us through an angel that manifests himself or one that remains invisible. The Holy Spirit can speak to us through a man still in the flesh or one who has passed beyond the veil. Rev. 19:10, 22:8-9. Matt. 17:3. I might add that the Holy Spirit can speak to us through a donkey if God so chooses. Numbers 22:28-35. It is still God regardless of how he chooses to get our attention.
We Are One
Although we are separated, mostly in our thinking (carnal minds), by the two realms, we are actually one in Christ. “But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit!” I Corinthians 6:17. This includes men in heaven, upon the earth, and all of God’s holy angels. This is what Paul means in I Corinthians 5:3-4 where he tells them that he, though absent in body, would be present in the spirit when the church assembled together to consider a pressing problem.
The angels know far more about us and what is going on in the earth realm than we realize. This also includes the saints of God on the other side. They see and think in terms of us all being one in Christ. While we were writing this article on a seven day fast, the messenger Aaron came and gave us these words of warning and encouragement: “The devil will try to get in by lying signs and wonders but, Praise God, He is leading us and the devil’s power is broken over all of God’s children.”
Notice in that statement of the angel that he praises God and says, “He is leading us.” From this, and other statements of the two messengers who are manifesting themselves to us, we are able to realize like never before the truth of Elisha’s words in II Kings 6:16: “…Fear not; for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.”
Other Duties
From the scriptures we know that angels have great power and at times are sent to invoke judgment upon man. One angel killed 185,000 Assyrians in one night. II Kings 19:35. Another killed Herod when he accepted worship from man. Acts 12:20-23. Angels rolled the stone from the door of the tomb of Jesus. Matt. 28:2. And the angel of the Lord released Peter and the apostles from prison. Acts 5:19, 12:7-11.
It is also the duty of angels to carry the spirits of saints from earth to heaven at the time of death. Luke 16:22. Aside from the scriptures, there are literally hundreds of testimonies of dying saints who were allowed to see the angels that were present to transport their released spirits to glory.
It is also the duty of angels to protect God’s people. David said in Psa. 34:7, “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about those who fear him, and delivereth them.” It was the angel of the Lord that shut the lions’ mouths and kept them from harming Daniel. Dan. 6:22.
However, in spite of their great power and wisdom, angels are not God — as Aaron and Eleazar have told us several times. They are not to be prayed to nor worshipped. Neither do they have all wisdom as God does. As Hebrews 1:14 says, “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” Do you believe it?