Angels: Who They Are, What They Do, and Why It Matters

© 2016 by Jack Graham

Published by Bethany House Publishers

11400 Hampshire Avenue South

Bloomington, Minnesota 55438

www.bethanyhouse.com

Bethany House Publishers is a division of

Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan

www.bakerpublishinggroup.com

Ebook edition created 2016

Ebook corrections 10.07.2016

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

ISBN 978-1-4412-6551-7

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2007

Scripture quotations marked AMP are from the Amplified® Bible, copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture quotations marked THE MESSAGE are from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson, copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are from the New American Standard Bible®, copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

One Scripture quotation is from The Living Bible, copyright © 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Cover design by LOOK Design Studio

Author is represented by Wolgemuth and Associates.

This book is classic Jack Graham—great biblical teaching, wonderful stories, and terrific applications for readers.

—Christine Caine, author of Undaunted and founder of The A21 Campaign

Jack Graham shines an angelic light from Scripture on the mysterious topic of angels as instruments used in the hand of God. While angels will never possess the salvation offered freely to all people by the Lord Jesus himself, they are used to carry out his plan of redemption (Hebrews 1:14). We will never know the full impact of their presence among us, but a glimpse into the stories Jack shares will bolster your faith in God. As time on earth nears the end, God will use an angel to spread the glorious Gospel one more time: ‘Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people—saying with a loud voice, Fear God and give glory to Him"’ (Revelation 14:6–7). As you read Angels, remember that God has given us every comfort and every promise for His glory."

—Franklin Graham, president & CEO, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Samaritan’s Purse

I consider Jack Graham to be a key voice for the church in these turbulent days. His commitment to Christ is unshakable, his clear teaching is inspiring, and his leadership is desperately needed. This book is yet another valuable contribution from a dear saint.

—Max Lucado, pastor and bestselling author of Glory Days

"I read everything Jack Graham writes because he loves God’s Word and knows how to communicate it with integrity and impact. You will see the world around you differently and experience a greater connection to the unseen world when you read his new book, Angels."

—Dr. James MacDonald, senior pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel and author of Act Like Men and Vertical Church

"Jack Graham has done it again. His treatment of the topic of angels will move you from confusion to curiosity and on to clarity. Through compelling stories you will learn a great deal about angels . . . but this time from a biblical worldview. After you’ve read Angels, I guarantee you’ll be on the lookout for them."

—Dave Stone, pastor, Southeast Christian Church, Louisville, Kentucky

To our grandchildren, Ian, Levi, Dylan Claire, Piper Jane, Zach, and Jake, little angels who give me great joy every day.

Psalm 112:2: The generation of the upright will be blessed.

Ahi anime ingannate e fatture empie,

che da sì fatto ben torcete i cuori,

drizzando in vanità le vostre tempie!

Ah, souls beguiled, creatures without reverence,who wrench your hearts away from so much good and set your minds on emptiness!

Dante’s Paradiso, Book IX, lines 10–12

Contents

Cover    1

Title Page    2

Copyright Page    3

Endorsements    4

Dedication    5

Epigraph    6

Foreword by Roma Downey    9

Author’s Note: Eggs and Toast and a Yes From God    11

Part One: The Wisdom of Angels as You Start the Journey    17

1. FORGIVENESS When You’ve Sinned Against God    19

2. PERSPECTIVE When You Can’t See Straight    33

3. PROVISION When You Are in Need    45

4. CONFIDENCE When You’re Being Led by the Spirit    57

Part Two: The Protection of Angels as You Sustain Life’s Blows    69

5. COMFORT When You Are Afraid    71

6. COURAGE When You Are in Danger    83

7. ADVOCACY When You’re Excluded or Despised    101

8. SHELTER In the Midst of the Storm    111

Part Three: The Encouragement of Angels as You Soar on Eagles’ Wings    123

9. SPURRED ON When You’re Spiritually Lethargic    125

10. FAITHFULNESS When You’ve Been Broken    133

11. VICTORY When You Are Tempted    143

Part Four: The Presence of Angels as You Stay the Course With Christ    157

12. COMPANIONSHIP When You Are Lonely    159

13. PERSISTENCE When You Want to Give Up    171

14. ASSURANCE When You Are Dying    187

15. INSPIRATION When You’re Short on Hope    199

Acknowledgments    213

Notes    215

About the Author    219

Back Ad    221

Back Cover    222

Foreword

It was a normal day on the set of A.D. The Bible Continues in steamy, dusty Morocco when one of our actors pointed toward the sky and said, Look!

There in plain sight was a single white cloud that had formed itself boldly against the backdrop of a crystal blue sky into the shape of a cross. A hush fell over the entire crew as people reflexively reached for their cell phones to snap photos of what was clearly a sign from God that he was ever present.

I believe that on that day, God aimed to remind everyone that the supernatural realm is closer than we think, just as my dear friend Dr. Jack Graham has done so well in this wonderful book.

Like Dr. Graham, I am firmly convicted that if you have eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart that longs to beat with faith, you will see God’s divine activity throughout the earth, hour by hour, day by day. You will sense God’s presence. You will detect God’s protection. You will be mysteriously—but undeniably—upheld as you make your way through life.

For almost ten years, I had the privilege of playing the angel Monica on Touched by an Angel. Every week, Monica would step into someone’s life at a moment of need or desperation to personally deliver a message of hope, a message of God’s love, a message of intervention on God’s behalf. I believe the role I played on television is a role played in real life every single day by those God has assigned to watch out for us.

You hold in your hands an exploration of fifteen of the most practical and personal ways in which God supports his beloved sons and daughters through his angelic host. My hope is that you will allow Dr. Graham’s words to wash over you, reminding you that you are never abandoned to this world alone. You have a loving heavenly Father who is for you every step of the way and whose angels are with you as you go.

This book will bless you.

Roma Downey

May 2015

Author’s Note

Eggs and Toast and a Yes From God

Aren’t angels kind of a—fringe topic?"

I was asking the question of my publisher’s marketing team, who had come to Dallas for a brainstorming session regarding the subject of the next book I was to write. In all my years of bookmaking, this marked the first time a publisher was asking me to cover a specific topic instead of the other way around. Usually I spend weeks or months crafting sermon material born out of a particular book of the Bible or a concept I sense our congregation needs to master, and then, upon delivering those sermons, I look to that well-thought-out, well-researched material to form the backbone of an upcoming book. But not so this time around. My publisher was asking for a book about angels, and I had neither preached a series on angels nor done any real research on angels—ever, in my forty-plus years of ministry. This would be an easy no, I figured, even as they kept adding layer upon layer of rationale.

Several weeks later, while in Florida for a few days, I met good friends of mine Bobbie and Robert Wolgemuth for breakfast. They’d called Orlando home for a number of years and knew of my affinity for golf, and so we met at Bay Hill, Arnold Palmer’s famed lakeside course. The view and the grounds were stunning, but the most significant gain of the morning had nothing to do with scenery. That midmorning conversation over eggs and toast would single-handedly redirect the next twenty-four months of my life.

I’ve known Robert for more than thirty years, and because of his expertise as a literary agent, a few years ago he began counseling me regarding my publishing decisions. This was to be a social meeting, but because that marketing meeting was still on my mind, I raised the issue with Robert and explained that while I understood all the reasons the publisher was vying for a book on angels, I should probably take a pass on the idea.

Right? I asked him, trolling for a little reassurance.

Before Robert could respond, his wife, Bobbie, nearly jumped out of her seat. "Oh, but Jack, think of it! Angels! Ones who glorify Jesus perfectly . . . continually . . . without reservation! There is so much we can learn from them, don’t you think?"

I knew that her enthusiasm was not contrived. Bobbie had been battling cancer for some time, and she explained to me that throughout her painful, stressful, debilitating journey of late, angels had been not only interesting to her, but absolutely indispensable in keeping her hope alive. She needed supernatural support, for her natural world was falling apart. She made a series of earnest pleas, to which I had no worthwhile response. I came to the realization during that conversation that angelic intervention in the lives of humankind was an important topic not only for the dying but for the living as well. I phoned my publisher with the good news.

More Questions Than Answers

Even after giving my yes to the publishing team, I harbored serious concerns about crafting an entire book on a subject about which there is precious little information in Scripture. I’d just wrapped up a book—Unseen—in which I devoted a chapter to the exposition of angelic beings, and I felt like I’d said all there was to say. And yet Bobbie’s encouragement kept pushing me forward—despite all the unanswerable questions that remain, what can we learn from the heavenly host?

I pulled out my yellow legal pad and began to meticulously revisit the several hundred references to angels noted throughout Scripture, paying careful attention not only to the descriptions offered about them (the Bible clearly tells us angels were created, don’t reproduce, don’t die, are sometimes named, in some cases have wings, can disguise themselves, exist outside of time and space, remain in the presence of the heavenly Father, and never hesitate to accomplish the mission God has asked them to complete) but also to the demonstrations of aid attributed to them. In various accounts, angels offer encouragement to people just like you and me. They offer direction. Counsel. Confirmation of God’s will. Insight. Strength. Protection. Wisdom. Companionship. As my pen scribbled down verses and takeaways, I realized I’d been short-selling the real-life impact angels have.

Road Signs Pointing Toward Christ

It’s worth noting that the encouragement and support available to us courtesy of the heavenly host is far different from the well wishes we receive from our human counterparts. Think of it this way: Just as a road sign is useful in that it points us toward our desired destination, angels’ input into our lives is useful because it reliably points our feet toward Christ. In all my research, not once did I find scriptural substantiation for angels drawing attention to themselves, acting on their own impulses, or seeking their own glory. Far from it. At every turn, angels respond to the will of God and faithfully point humankind toward Christ. Their counsel carries great weight. Their direction can be trusted. Their protection has our best interests at heart. Angels aren’t just fascinating; it turns out they are utterly functional to the administration of God’s will. And so, while you think you are holding a book about angels, in fact, the focus of our attention across these chapters is on the person of Jesus Christ, the sole conduit of God’s redemption in the created world, the One through whom ultimate peace will arrive.

Angelic presence and protection marked every critical moment in Jesus’ life—it was an angel who declared the name of the Christ child (Luke 1:31); it was an angel who announced the baby’s birth to the shepherds (Luke 2:11); it was an angel who told Joseph to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt in order to survive King Herod’s murderous decree (Matthew 2:13); it was angels who ministered to Jesus after his three-part temptation (Matthew 4:11); it was an angel who kept him company as he sweat drops of blood in the garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:43); it was angels who restrained their great power even as Jesus suffered and died on the cross (Matthew 26:53); it was an angel who informed the women who came to Jesus’ tomb that the Messiah had risen from the dead (Matthew 28:5); it was angels who received Jesus as he ascended back to the Father (Acts 1:10); it will be an angel leading the heavenly trumpet band during the second coming of Christ (Revelation 8); and it will be angels who will someday oversee the final judgment of the quick and of the dead (Matthew 13:39–42).

But perhaps what is most timely to our discussion here is that the same angelic presence and protection that enveloped Jesus Christ at all points along his earthly journey remains in service to those who love God here and now. This same supernatural support is at hand. It is for those who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, Psalm 91 promises, that God commands his angels concerning them, to guide them in all their ways.1

This is hardly a fringe topic, I’ve come to see. Couldn’t we all use a little divine guidance throughout our days? Christ is the One who can provide it, and the role of angels is to remind us of that truth. And so, this book. Chapter by chapter, I’ve laid out fifteen key aspects of Christ’s sufficiency made manifest by angelic dealings in the biblical account. Each chapter holds up to the light a different character trait—Christ’s forgiveness, for example, or his perspective, or his strength—and asks you, the reader, to consider what the ancient encounter has to say to us today.

It is a whisper-thin veil that separates the natural from the supernatural, meaning divine activity is all around us. The issue at hand is whether we will have eyes to see it and hearts eager to receive the assistance that God through his mystical messengers longs to provide.

My friend Bobbie went home to be with the Lord during the final writing stage of this book, but her impact on my life—and of course on this project—lives on.

Jack Graham

April 2015

Part One

The Wisdom of Angels as You Start the Journey

The exploration of the mind of Christ is a journey to nowhere if the pilgrim is still handcuffed to the flesh.

—Brennan Manning

1

Forgiveness

When You’ve Sinned Against God

As a teenager, my dream was to play professional baseball. I worked hard to develop my skills and, like many young men, to take things to the next level—the Major Leagues. All indications were that my childhood aspirations were becoming a reality, as both college and professional scouts took an interest in my game. I was on my way, but God had another plan.

One hot summer night in Fort Worth, Texas, I drove my car alone to my team’s ball field at Eastern Hills High School. The stars truly are bright deep in the heart of Texas, and it seemed all of them were shining on me that evening. Given how real God’s presence was to me in those moments, that athletic field became something of a sanctuary. I wasn’t in a church, but God came near that night. I was standing on holy ground. I didn’t realize at the time that the Holy Spirit was at work in me, calling me, compelling me to a bigger and better dream.

That night, standing on that