Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub

An incident in the life of the deacon Philip is to the point. Crossing the desert near Gaza was a eunuch, an officer of great authority in the court of Candace, queen of Ethiopia. He was returning from Jerusalem, where

[graphic][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

And they went down both into eunuch; and he baptized him." the water, both Philip and the

plained the passage from
Isaiah, and preached Christ to the Ethiopian officer.
As a result, the eunuch believed, and as they passed
a pool he asked for baptism. "And they went down

both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him." Acts 8:38.

And the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, and carried him to Azotus. But the eunuch went on his way rejoicing, a new channel through which the light of the gospel was to be carried into darkest Africa.

This whole transaction, which was so important in carrying the gospel into new territory, was due to the appearance of an angel to lead God's minister on this important errand.

Angels appeared to Daniel, and revealed to him many important truths pertaining to the work of the gospel, some of which refer to the times in which we now live. Especially is the instruction of the angel Gabriel important, as it concerns the atonement, or the investigative judgment, and the sacrifice of the Messiah. See Dan. 8:13-17; 9:10-27.

It was Gabriel also who came to Mary to announce the birth of Christ, and to Zacharias to foretell that of John the Baptist. See Luke 1:11-19, 26–33.

A powerful angel appeared many times to the apostle-prophet John, as recorded in the Revelation, presenting before him important events and truths pertaining to the work of God to be done in the earth, and in regard to the triumph of God's people and their final great reward.

In Rev. 14:6, 7, an angel is seen flying "in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the

hour of His judgment is come." And other angels

followed, each

having a spe

cial message to proclaim.

Special messages have gone to the world at special times. God sends His angels to direct the minds of His ministers to the lines of truth He would

have them proclaim. Angels

[graphic]

stand by their

side as they

speak the truth to the people. Angels are be

side the listen

ers to impress their hearts.

So through it

all, as in the "A powerful angel appeared many times

cases of Corne

lius and Peter,

to the apostle-prophet John."

and of Philip and the eunuch, angels are moulding the work of the ministers, and pressing home the truths to the hearts of the people.

[graphic][subsumed][merged small]

F THE final scene of the judgment the prophet Daniel, while an exile at Babylon, writes: "A fiery stream issued and

came forth from before Him: thousand

thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened." Dan. 7: 10.

In this most important of all court scenes the Judge is represented as having more than a million. angels as His assistants, while more than a hundred million are court attendants. The books containing the records of the lives of men are opened, the court is convened, and the judgment is set.

John, in vision on lonely Patmos, adds important features to this imposing scene: "I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: . . . and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." Rev. 20: 12.

At the great judgment day the record books of heaven will be opened, and the future of all will be decided according to what has been written therein by the recording angels.

Of the righteous as they near the end of this world's history, we read, "They that feared the Lord

[graphic][merged small]

spake often one to another: and the Lord harkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name." Mal. 3:16.

This "book of remembrance" was written by those heavenly messengers who ministered "before

« VorigeDoorgaan »