As we discussed in the examination of Psalm 103:19, there is a noticeable switching of the focus away from verses 1 through 18, where God shows what He does for us humans. Verse 19 is the point where not just show our gratitude for the daily grace and favor He shows but now begins to focus on the Power and Sovereignty of God.
One measure of His absolute power is the existence of the Angels. These created beings are also built for eternity, as is all mankind, who was created a little lower than the angels. Now, there was perfection in Heaven at one point. Lucifer – the devil – was one of the head angels as well as the worship leader in Heaven. When he attempted to elevate himself above God, whom he was supposed to serve, he did more than think about it. Lucifer and one-third of the angels rebelled were captured and while Lucifer remains free for a little longer, his one-third of fallen angels, is in chains in outer darkness, awaiting the final judgment.
The wonderful thing is that the remaining 2/3rd of the Angelic Hosts are strong, powerful, effective and obedient. The special angels who serve at the very Throne of Almighty God, the Father are a special breed called the Seraphim. Most likely, they have been at the Throne since the existence of Time, in eternity past. They have power granted by God, and as Verse 20 says, they “excel in strength”. Without a direct command from God, they know instinctively the holiness and cleansing He requires and flew into the everlasting flame in the altar, removed one coal with tongs, flew back to Isaiah and touched his mouth with the burning coal. Strange enough, because it was supernatural coal, his mouth was NOT burnt, but the Holy Fire cleans the vilest sin (iniquity) away from him (Isaiah 6:6-7).
Angels showed their power in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, where the only “righteous” people left were Lot, his wife and two daughters. They also brought Judgment to Israel when King David disobeyed God and did a census, bringing literal death to his people. They showed up many times in the Old Testament culminating with a huge amount of them announcing the Messiah’s Birth, on Shepherd’s Field, in Bethlehem when Jesus was born in a humble, cold cave.
Since the now dearly departed Billy Graham is now in the news, in celebration of the amazing like that he lived, I recommend his book on ANGELS (Click here) where he gave a great exposition on the biblical history of angels as well as the many up-to-date instances of angelic activity in the protection of God’s people. Many are the stories of angels protecting missionaries and others from sure death and danger to our own personal Guardian angels, who are assigned by God, to watch over us until we come home to Heaven.
A word of caution concerning Angels. They obey the Voice and Commands of God – and no one else. They are respectful and defer to the Almighty. The great Book of Jude, the half-brother of James and the Lord Jesus, has a verse in there where Michael, one of the two main Arch-Angels of God (Gabriel is the other) was disputing with the Devil (Lucifer the fallen angel) over the body of Moses, who had just died. Michael, recognizing the Authority of God said “did not bring a reviling accusation against him (Satan), but said ‘The Lord rebuke you’”.
Here is Michael, the warrior angel, having every right to act in the natural, overpower the devil and claim Moses’ body for the Lord. But Angels do not operate in the natural, but the supernatural. They do NOT think like sinful men but are the epitome of the kind of righteousness required by God. They are always in His Presence. They know His Mind. They know His way of thinking and His Ways. They know His Commandments and His Word. They heed His Word, spoken and implied and operate happily under the Mighty Sovereignty of Almighty God.
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