Ministries (4); Other Truths

You know we're going to be here a long time tonight, don't you? Actually, I did want to read a couple of quotes. If you were here last week, you know that we got really deep into a theological discussion on the Virgin Birth and there were some excellent questions asked that I did not do a very good job of answering and it motivated me to look a little deeper. So I did do a little bit of research this week. The Virgin Birth, everybody struggles to know exactly how to explain the mechanics of it. But I did find some help in a couple of my theology books that I'm going to read to you that I think will help clear up some of the difficulty we had last week in understanding some of the issues we were talking about. What did the Virgin Birth accomplish? Did Jesus actually have any genetic material from Mary? Would that compromise his deity? Why was the sin nature not passed through her? There were lots of questions that you had. So let me just try to clear up a little bit. This first author is Wayne Grudum, who is a well-known theologian, taught for 20 years at Trinity Heavens, Jellicle Divinity School. And because of some health issues, I had to go to Arizona and is the head of a seminary in Phoenix. But he talks about some of the issues we talked about last week. He says the Virgin Birth made possible the uniting of full deity and full humanity in one person. This was the means God used to send his son into the world as a man. If we think for a moment of the other possible ways in which Christ might have come to the earth, none of them would so clearly unite humanity and deity in one person. It probably would have been possible for God to create Jesus as a complete human being in heaven. And I might add to put together his entire person in heaven and then just place him in Mary's womb. We were debating that last week and I was struggling whether or not to lean that direction and was holding back because of the real humanity of Christ. He talks a little bit about that. He says, but then it would have been very hard for us to see how Jesus could be fully human as we are, nor would he be a part of the human race that physically descended from Adam. He had to actually physically descend from Adam and from those who came after him in order to be considered fully human. He talks about on the other hand, it probably would have been possible for God to have Jesus come into the world with two human parents, both a father and a mother, and with his full divine nature miraculously united to his human nature at some point early in his life. But then it would have been hard for us to understand how Jesus was fully God since his origin would have been like ours in every way. When we think of these other two possibilities, it helps us to understand how God in His wisdom ordained a combination of human and divine attributes or influence in the birth of Christ so that His full humanity would be evident to us from the fact of His ordinary human birth, from a human mother, and His full deity would be evident from the fact of His conception in Mary's womb by the powerful work of the Holy Spirit. Such a conclusion should not be taken to mean that the transmission of sin comes only through the Father. That's what I was trying to explain last week. For the Scripture, nowhere makes such an assertion. It is enough for us merely to say that in this case the unbroken line of descent from Adam was interrupted, and Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit through the absence of a human father. Jesus was not fully descended from Adam, and this break in the line of descent was the method God used to bring it about. That Jesus was fully human, yet did not share inherited sin from Adam, but why did Jesus not inherit a sinful nature from Mary? The Roman Catholic Church answers this question by saying that Mary herself was free from sin. It's called the Immaculate Conception that Mary was born without a sin nature. That's what the Roman Catholic Church teaches. But Scripture nowhere teaches this, and it would not really solve the problem anyway for why the end did Mary not inherit sin from her mother. A better solution is to say, and here's the real crux of the issue. A better solution is to say that the work of the Holy Spirit in Mary must have prevented not only the transmission of sin from Joseph, for Jesus had no human father, but also in a miraculous way, and this is part of the miracle of the Virgin birth. The transmission of sin from Mary was also circumvented by the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit, and that's why Luke 135 says, the Holy Spirit will come upon you, therefore the child will be born, shall be called holy. Millard Erichsen is another well-known theologian, taught at Bethel Seminer in Minneapolis for many years. He actually goes a little deeper into the things we were talking about last week. He says, it may be objected that the absence of the male factor would somehow preclude full humanity. This, however, with its implicit chauvinism, does not follow. Jesus was not produced. Now here's what we were struggling with last week. Jesus was not produced after the genetic pattern of Mary alone. For in that case, he would in effect have been a clone of her and would necessarily have been female. He did not receive all of his genetic material from Mary in other words. So here's how Erichsen explains it. Rather, a male component was contributed. In other words, a sperm was united with the ovum provided by Mary, but it was especially created for the occasion instead of being supplied by an existent male. That is the power of the Holy Spirit. That's the miraculous part of the virgin birth. And he goes on to say, Jesus was fully human, including everything that both a male and a female parent would ordinarily contribute. So the full genetic package was there. In addition, there was the element of deity. What God did was to supply by a special creation, both the human component ordinarily contributed by the male, and thus we had the virgin birth. And in addition, a divine factor, and thus we had the incarnation. So the miracle of the virgin birth was the fact that God did not allow Jesus to inherit a sinful nature because husband and wife were not coming together. Thus a new person was not being generated, which automatically passes down the sin nature. But the question so many of you had last week was, what about Mary? If he had any genetic material from Mary, he wouldn't have also had a sin nature from her. And the answer, I think, is well stated that part of the miracle of the virgin birth was that God miraculously circumvented the sin nature from being passed down through her also. But there was fully human components, male and female components, the chromosomes and so forth, just like this typically happened. But the male side of the equation was a direct act of God through the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit. And that's what brought about his deity, okay, in the same person. Now that may be even more confusing, but it does, I think, address the questions that you had last week. I'm hesitant to ask if you have any others about the virgin birth. It is a difficult concept to wrap our minds around, but I think Grudum and Ericsson have explained it pretty well. Okay. All right. That was kind of a sidetrack from the angel study last week when we talked about the announcements of the angels, the six announcements in regard to the birth of Christ. So we're going to get back to our study tonight. We've been looking at the, the ministries of angels in relationship to God, in relationship to Christ, in relationship to us as believers. And we've seen there just lots of ways that the angels are active and ministering in all of those facets. We're going to wrap up that section of the study tonight by talking about the ministry of the angels in relation to the ages. And it's a little difficult to put this into a nice concise statement. But what I mean by in relation to the ages, one of the amazing and fascinating things about the ministry of angels is that they are present at the beginning of new phases of God's work throughout the Bible. When God begins a new phase of his work, then angels always seem to be there and seem to be there quite visibly and in amazing numbers. So we're going to look at four different new phases in the work of God and how angels are involved in that. And then what I hope to do is just kind of wrap up some loose ends over the next several weeks about other truths about angels, like how many there are, how they're organized, where the, where the sons of God in Genesis 6 angels, those kinds of kind of loose ends, and then we'll jump into another whole section of our study on Satan and demons. Okay, so that's where we're headed. Let's talk about the four different new phases of God's program where angels are very visible and very involved. The first one is at creation. At the creation, angels were there and involved in praising God for what he was doing. Look at Job, chapter 38, there's several verses here so rather than put them on the screen, I'll just have you open your Bible to Job 38. This is where God crashes the party. Okay, not really been a very nice party for Job or his friends, but Job and his friends have been having this dialogue for 37 chapters about why Job is suffering. And finally God steps in and begins to speak and rather than explaining Job suffering, God points to himself and how far above us and our ability to figure him out, he is. So he starts asking Job a lot of questions in verse 4, chapter 38, where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me if you understand who marked off its dimensions, surely you know, who stretched a measuring line across it on what words footing set or who laid its cornerstone. While the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy. God begins by asking Job, were you there at the beginning? Trying to figure out the mysteries of life, let's just see how limited your knowledge really is, Job. Were you there when it all started? Were you there when I created the world and these expressions laying the earth's foundation, marking off its dimensions and so forth are basically describing the planning that went into the creation of the world. God's amazingly infinite mind able to plan and pull off creation. But the thing that's interesting for our study is in verse 7. When its footings were set, when its cornerstone was laid, in other words, when it was when it was initiated, when God created the world, morning stars sang together, angels shouted for joy. Again, this is a poetic book, this is Hebrew poetry, where you have two lines that either contrast each other or complete each other or are saying the same thing in both lines. And that's what's happening here. The morning stars are angels, just two different ways of saying the same thing. Morning stars sang together, the angels shouted for joy. And we looked at that earlier that angels were present when the world was created, probably created on day one, just before the earth was created. And so when the earth was created, they were praising him and singing of his great power when he created. Okay, questions about that, comments. Okay, the second great initiation of an age or a phase of God's working, some people would call it a dispensation would be at the giving of the law, the giving of the law. Angels were present at the giving of the law on Mount Sinai to Israel. This verse is on the screen, Galatians 3.19. Paul says, why then was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator, entrusted to a mediator, Moses is the mediator, Moses is the one that will stand before the people to represent God and vice versa. And so he will be the one who mediates, who communicates the law to Israel carries a lot to them. But this verse says it was given through angels. If you will look at Acts chapter 7, there are a couple of verses there that mention much the same thing. Acts chapter 7 in Stephen's great sermon summarizing the Old Testament history of Israel. Acts chapter 7, verse 37, this is the Moses who told Israel, God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your own people. Now verse 38, he was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai and with our ancestors and he received living words to pass on to us. And then you will look down at verse 52, was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute, they even killed those who predicted the coming of the righteous one. And now you have betrayed and murdered him, you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it. So angels were present at Mount Sinai, there is also a verse in Deuteronomy 33, verse 2 that describes the angels being present there with Moses on Mount Sinai. So angels were there when the law was given. But it is somewhat of a mystery as to what they did. There are some who feel like they were just present observing this great moment in the history of God's program where he actually is giving his covenant to Israel to make them his people. That was a really significant event in Old Testament history. Some think angels were just observing that others believe angels were actually involved in maybe presenting the law. To Moses there are some who even say that maybe angels inscribed it. But there's a verse in Exodus 31, verse 18 that indicates the tablets were actually inscribed with the finger of God. So God himself probably inscribed them. But maybe they were somehow involved in handing them to Moses, giving them to Moses some kind of celebration maybe of this covenant that is being given to Israel. So in some way they're involved. They're involved in the giving of the law. They're there. So that's an interesting thought. Okay comments or questions about angels being present at Mount Sinai. Okay the third occasion is in the tribulation. This is again a huge turning point in God's plan where he has finished the church. The church age is done. The church has been raptured and now God is transitioning the world to be ready for his kingdom. So the tribulation time this period of seven years is a huge transition shifting time from what God's been doing through his people to church to what he's preparing their earth for by way of the church. So he's preparing their earth for by way of judgment, preparing them for his kingdom and angels are all over the place in the tribulation. We've already looked at this a good bit. I think I have on your outline a revelation six through 18. We're not going to read those 13 chapters. But but we've already looked a lot at the references to angels in revelation. They're active in worship. Both leading worship of serving worship in heaven. They are active in controlling nature. They are active in actually being the the agents of God's judgments, the 21 judgments that he sends angels open the seals, angels blow the trumpets, angels pour out the bowls. So angels are very involved in the in the tribulation judgments. They give announcements about coming events. They shout from heaven. What's going to happen? I mean, they're all over the place in the book of revelation. Very active in the tribulation. And so we would expect that they would also be active at the last one on your outline. That is at the second coming and kingdom Christ second coming and kingdom. We have a few verses for you on that. These will be on the screen. We've looked at them before, but just to summarize Matthew 25 31 when the son of man comes in his glory. That's not the rapture. That's the second coming when he's going to come in his great glory and power will be seen by the whole world. To set up his kingdom and all the angels with him. He will sit on his glorious throne. So he is coming back to sit on a throne here on earth. And when he does that, the angels are going to come back with him. So they accompany him at his second coming. Chapter 24 verses 30 and 31 of Matthew then will appear the sign of the son of man in heaven up to this point he's described events during the tribulation time. And then he says then will appear the sign of this kind of man in heaven. And then all the people's earth will mourn when they see the son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send here they are. He will send his angels with a loud trumpet call. And they will gather his elect from the four wins from one end of the heavens to the other. In this context as we've looked before Matthew 24 25 the elect are Israel. They're gathering Jewish people who will populate the millennium will people the kingdom. So they are involved at his second coming in that way. I don't have this reference for you on your notes, but we've looked at it before in Revelation 20. An angel also binds Satan in the abyss at the second coming. And then finally the last passage I have for you here is Hebrews 12 verses 22 and 23. But you have come to Mount Zion to the city of the living God. This is describing the heavenly city, the new Jerusalem heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly to the church of the first born whose names are written in heaven. These are all the people that will people the new Jerusalem angels church. You've come to God the judge of all to the spirits of righteous made perfect that probably refers to Old Testament saints. So the church the Old Testament saints mixed in with a lot of angels in in the kingdom in the heavenly city, the new Jerusalem eternity future. So angels are present at many of the great turning points in God's program through the Bible when he initiates something new creation, the giving of the law to birth, the nation of Israel, tribulation, judgments, and then the second coming in kingdom. Angels are very much involved. So angels do a lot of stuff. I mean we've taken several weeks now. I think for to just talk about the ministries of angels things they do and they're involved in a lot of things that God entrusts them with. Okay. Any question about that before we move on to just some miscellaneous truths about angels? Yeah. Yeah. Evidently they are visible. Now I don't know about the creation account. They could have been in an all likelihood were praising God singing from heaven. So they may have been in spirit form there. But in other occasions like coming with him at his second coming and so forth at the resurrection. Obviously they were visible. So I would think at least in some of these cases they would be visible. It would be seen. Yeah. Certainly at the giving of the law there seems to be a physical presence there with Moses as that's described. So yeah. As we've seen before there are times when angels do appear in human form. And that was true at the birth of Christ. I mean the shepherds actually saw the angels and were fearful of what they saw. So I think in many of the cases we're talking about. Yes. Yeah. There's no there's no hearing of a voice and thinking could that be an angel. No, they saw them. They were angels. Yes. Yes. Yeah. The ones ones you're thinking of the amazing description. We looked at it in Ezekiel chapter one. Where people have tried to artistically represent that and really can't get it. I mean it's just so bizarre. Moving in all directions eyes all around. I mean it's just really a strange image. And then you're right. Some of them do appear in human form. There are different ranks and categories. In fact we're going to get to some of that again here in just a few moments. The different classifications of angels. There are lots of different kinds. I think you know we know from creation and we know from from humanity that God loves variety. So I don't think necessarily that angels are cookie cutter. All of them look the same. I think they're very different. Okay. Ready for some other truths about angels. Pull together some miscellaneous one of the most interesting questions people have. They wonder how many angels are there anyway. There's a lot of speculation about that. So let's talk a bit about the number of angels and we'll try to pull several references together that mention numbers when when they're talking about angels. Luke 213 here's a good place to start Christmas story as the angels are appearing to the shepherd suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel praising God and saying so the description here is a great company. That doesn't tell us how many but it does indicate it's a great number and it's only a part of the total. It doesn't say all the angels. It just says a great company of heavenly beings or heavenly host. So we know there's a great company. All right. Another passage that kind of starts nailing down some numbers is Matthew 2653. This is in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus rebukes Peter for pulling the sword and starting to hack away and and he says do you not do you think I cannot call on my father and he will at once put it my disposal more than 12 legions of angels. We talked about that before Roman Legion was 6000 soldiers so you're talking about 72,000 here but if you're going to make a strict comparison with the Roman army. A legion always had a matching number of auxiliary troops to back them up. So a Roman Legion of 6000 would have 6000 troops behind them backing them up. So really we're not talking just about 72,000 we're talking about 144,000 at least if you make the strict comparison with the Roman troops and Jesus does use that term. So as I've often said we have to change the hymn don't we? He could have called 10,000 angels that's not really biblically correct. He could have called 72,000 angels and there are another 72,000 back in them up. So here's the first real number we have we know there have to be at least 144,000. Okay could there be more? I think so. We're not going to turn to this passage but remember Revelation 12 we've looked at it several times where Satan in the middle of the tribulation is finally cast out of heaven can no longer go into the presence of God to accuse believers of sin and the Bible says that Michael and the Christian people Michael and his angels fought against the devil and his angels so Michael and his angels are likened to an army and this is not some little skirmish this is a battle for the ages. So if you if you want to make any comparison think of an army of angels again not a specific number but lots lots of angels. Now one passage that may suggest a number is Revelation 511 and I'm going to put it on the screen or Jim is actually for you this is the King James translation because the way it renders the numbers I've be held and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders and the number of them was 10,000 times 10,000 and thousands of thousands. Now let's do a little math. If you take this literally we're either talking about 10 to the eighth power plus 10 to the sixth power that would be 101 million. But some believe that what's actually being referred to here is 10 to the eighth power multiplied by 10 to the sixth power which is 100 trillion. So maybe this is the best estimation we have of any number in the Bible 100 trillion angels. Oh, when you think of how many people are there on planet earth? Seven billion right now somewhere around there. Possibility of 100 trillion angels. Wow. It's a lot. It's a lot of zeros 10 to the eighth power means 10 with eight zeros behind it multiplied by 10 with six zeros behind it. So a lot of zeros 100 trillion. Pardon me? National debt. Yeah, the national debt is right up there with the number of angels. That is true. One other passage mentions not a specific number, but the one we looked at earlier in Hebrews 12, 22, but you have come to Mount Sin to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You've come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly. Again, whenever the scripture speak of thousands upon thousands, it's not trying to set a specific number. It's just trying to give you the idea that a lot of them, a lot of them. The King James rendering of that verse is an innumerable company of angels, innumerable company of angels. One thing I forgot to mention from Revelation 12. One of the interesting things about Revelation 12 is it uses a particular term for the angels that Satan drew with him. He's pictured as a serpent who draws with him these angels in his rebellion out of heaven with his tail, the picture of a serpent, and it calls them stars. He drew a third of the stars. Now, again, I don't think the purpose is to make a direct parallel, and you can say, okay, the number of angels equals the number of stars. But if that's so, then you're still up in the hundred trillion kind of category. It's, it is an amazing number of angels. So there are several passages that just kind of give us these little glimpses, but not really enough information to nail it down for sure. We just know there are lots of angels, lots of angels. Okay, questions about that. Okay, we're going to get to something that Bob mentioned a little bit ago, and that is the organization and then the rank of angels. I think we'll have enough time to get through most of this anyway. First of all, angels are organized. We should not have the idea that angels are just kind of on their own, doing their own thing, flitting about the universe, you know, one by one, just everybody on their own. There is at least some indication in Scripture that they are in organized groups. Several implications from that. We know that in Job chapters one and two, it says when the sons of God appeared before God in heaven. So that seems to indicate some kind of assembly of angels who present themselves before God, and that's done routinely, or maybe I should say regularly. So this is not just one angel here and there. This is an assembly, a group of angels that are coming together into the presence of God. And then there seems to be some kind of military organization, doesn't there, as we just referenced from Revelation 12, Michael and his angels fought against the devil and his angels. So there seems to be some kind of organization of angels into an army. And of course, as we've seen often in this study, one of the most popular terms for angels is the heavenly host. The word host means it's a military term in the Bible. It's the heavenly army. And so angels seem to be organized like an army would be. And then there are also titles given to angels that we're going to get into in just a moment, like thrones and principalities and powers and authorities and so forth, which seems to indicate some kind of organization of angels. So I don't think it's just angels kind of on their own doing their own thing or maybe angels like Clarence trying to gain his wings, you know, and Joseph is sending him on a mission and that kind of thing. I'm not sure it's a wonderful life quite ahead right on that, but, but we at least have enough information to know that angels seem to function together. Sometimes they are sent individually by God to do certain ministries, but they certainly are organized. It seems that leads me to the ranks of angels. Angels are first of all ranked by classes. This is what Bob was talking about. We've already looked at three different classes of angels that are mentioned by name in the Bible. So just a quick review, Cherubim, Seraphim and living creatures. Remember those? Those three different classifications or ranks. What we're talking about here is larger categories of angels who differ from other categories of angels in maybe in nature or in function, maybe even an appearance. Certainly their appearance has described in the scriptures seems to be different. Cherubim and Seraphim particularly. The living creatures that are mentioned in Revelation have some of the qualities of Seraphim that are mentioned in Isaiah 6 and some of the qualities of Cherubim that are mentioned in parts of the Old Testament as well. So we know there are different categories and they have different appearance. So they are seemingly ranked by classes, different classes or categories of angels. But they are also ranked by title. Can you give me a title that's used of angels in the Bible? Archangel, probably the most prominent title. How many angels are called Archangel in the Bible? Here's a trick question. Michael is the only one. Michael is the only one specifically called an Archangel in Jude 9. He is called the Archangel Michael did not dispute with Moses or Satan about the body of Moses. That's the only one specifically mentioned. But in Daniel 1013, Michael is mentioned as one of the chief princes, which indicates there are some others that rank right up there with him. Maybe he's not the only Archangel. We don't have any other names of Archangels. Gabriel is not called an Archangel. He seems to be a special messenger as we've seen before. He was sent to communicate information to Daniel, to Mary, to Joseph. So he seems to be a special messenger angel. But is he an Archangel? I don't know. Michael is the only one who is called an Archangel. But he is also called the chief or one of the chief princes. So there may be others on his level. But there are other passages that give us a bunch of titles. Very interesting terms that imply some kind of military or governmental rank of angels, different titles. But look at these verses. We're going to look at them fairly quickly and just pick up the number of different titles. And these are not the only verses. I'm just picking from Ephesians and Colossians. Ephesians 1, 21. Jesus ascended in heaven far above all rule and authority, power and dominion and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age, but also in the one to come. Now it would be very easy to say, when I wait a second, that's just talking about he's over all earthly powers. And I'm not sure. It could include that. But these seem to be heavenly beings. And that seems even more clear from other references. Ephesians 3, 10. God's intent was that now through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. So whoever these rulers, authorities, principalities, powers, other terms that are used of them, they are in heavenly realms. They are spirit beings in the heavenly. And so this is not governmental authorities here on earth. These are angels. And they also are titles given to evil angels. Ephesians 6, 12 is the next verse. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Obviously referring to evil angels or demons. I think the most telling passages, however, are in collotions. And there's a reason for that. Let's look at them first. Colossians 116, for in him in Christ all things were created things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities, all things have been created through him and for him. And then chapter 2 verse 15 or 10, chapter 2 verse 10 and 15 say this. And in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is head over every power and authority. And then look at verse 15. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphant over them by the cross. It's talking about Jesus' defeat of Satan and all of his evil angels at the cross. You read the context of collotions 2 and it's clearly talking about the victory that Jesus won over spiritual forces. And so these powers and authorities are not Roman officials. These are angels. These are evil angels that were defeated along with their ruler Satan at the crucifixion of Christ. So lots of these different words and there are other passages as well and Romans 8 and 1 Corinthians 15, other passages that use terms like this as well. It's difficult to know what order these go in. There is one theologian that I've read that actually does try to give an order. He believes he's come up with what he thinks the order are. He lists them as the highest are thrones, then dominions, then principalities, authorities, powers, world rulers, evil spirits and then all the other angels. That's his, I don't know how he gets that. I think he tries to do some things with the actual Greek words and what they meant so forth. But here's why I think collotions is so important in this regard. If you understand that collotions was written to a church that was struggling with a cult that had originated in and around Colossi and was affecting the church. And part of the worship system of that cult was to worship angels and all through the book Paul is making the point that Christ is Lord Christ is preeminent over all other spiritual beings and even says in chapter 2 and verse 18 that these false teachers claim to worship angels. And so in the immediate context he's talking about angels and the whole book is geared toward making sure that people recognize Christ as above the angels. And so when he's talking about Christ defeating principalities, powers, being preeminent above authorities and rulers, it's obvious in the context of collotions he's referring to angels. That's the whole purpose of the book. So there are different ranks of angels, categories, classes of angels. And some of those terms apply both to good and evil angels. As we saw in Ephesians 6 some of the same terms that are used for good angels in Ephesians 3, the heavenly beings that are marveling at God's work in the church. Some of those same terms are used of evil angels. And so there are evidently the same kind of ranks and classifications in both good angels and evil angels because they use the same same terms are used of them. Only the context of a passage can help you understand whether or not this is talking about good angels or bad angels. Ephesians 1, Ephesians 3, obviously good angels. Ephesians 6, Colossians 2, obviously bad angels. The context helps you out there. Okay? I know we don't have any children clamoring for you to come get them but it's 8 o'clock so we're going to stop. Any questions or comments? Yes. Yes. Good point. Gina is saying if they were ranked before the fall of the evil angels then it would make sense that both categories now since the fall would keep those kind of rankings. That does make sense. Yes, Jean? I don't think there are any casualties in the sense that angels die because they are spirit beings. They typically do not have a body unless they are just given permission to appear in human form. But a human body which would die is not a part of their makeup. So they would not have casual they would not die in battle but they would just agree to separate. One is obviously overpowering the other and they separate is the way I would see it. It's some of the terminology though is really quite I want to use the word confusing but that may be misleading like Satan being bound with chains in the bottom of his face is the spirit being. You bind a spirit being with chains but in some way he is restrained and the only way that people in the first century could grasp that and understand it was using the terms of chains. And so whether or not there are literal chains around Satan probably not but in some way God restrains him in the pit, chains him there. So yeah no casualties or physical harm inflicted though. Yes sir? Yes sir? Right. Yes. Yes. Thank you. You know all the several wives good save Bob that was good. All of the angels that appear in human form in the Bible appear in male form. Obviously we know there is no gender in angels typically because they neither marry nor given in marriage Matthew 22 30. But there's one possible exception and I'm trying to remember I think it's in Zachariah 3 where a woman Zachariah has a vision of a woman with a fruit or a basket. And it appears to be an angelic being described as a woman but it's not called an angel so that that's a little unclear but that may be one exception you ladies may have a little bit of you know saving grace there that there is at least one angel. Who's a female in the Bible and I think with that we probably should stop should me. Alright let's pray. Father thank you for these wonderful spirit beings that we are amazed at all that they do and all that your word describes about them. Lord we do want to get to know all of your word better and understand your purpose and plan and certainly angels are a big part of that. So we thank you for the opportunity to study this slice of the pie this little bit of the puzzle of your word help us to understand it better not so that we can increase our knowledge and become proud of what we know but so that we are in all of your wisdom and power and glory and we become humbled in your presence by what we see in Jesus name amen. Amen.