Seen Of Angels / Part Three

Series – July/August 2014 – Grace & Truth Magazine

Seen Of Angels / Part Three

Angels And The Resurrection Of Our Lord Jesus
We read little about the activity of angels during the ministry of our Lord Jesus on earth, but this changes when we come to His resurrection. To begin with we must emphatically state that angels played absolutely no part in raising Him from the dead. Early on the first day of the week He rose in triumph from the dead (1 Cor. 15:4). Together with this we are told that He was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father (Rom. 6:4). His resurrection demonstrated that God had fully accepted the work He had completed on Calvary. The Lord Jesus was holy; and being holy He could take our place, bearing our sins. We read that the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23), but He could not remain dead for He had absolutely no sin of His own.

Early in the morning on the first day of the week, three days after He had died on the cross at Calvary, Jesus rose from the grave. Then there was a great earthquake and an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, rolled back the stone from the door of the tomb and sat upon it. His appearance thoroughly frightened the guards that had been stationed there, for his face was like lightning and his clothing as white as snow. The guards shook and became as dead men, running soon after into the city to tell the chief priests all that had happened (Mt. 28:1-4,11).

Some of the women who had followed the Lord Jesus from Galilee arrived very early with spices to anoint His body. As they approached they were anxiously concerned about who would roll away the stone for them, but when they came near they saw that the stone had been rolled away. Matthew indicates that the angel who had rolled away the stone spoke to them, telling them not to be afraid, but to come see where the Lord had lain and to tell His disciples that He was risen from the dead (Mt. 28:5-7). Mark says that when they went into the tomb they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe – obviously an angel ? sitting on the right side. They were alarmed, but he told them not to be afraid for Jesus was risen. They should tell His disciples ? and Peter (in case anyone doubted whether Peter was still a disciple) ? that He was going before them to Galilee and would meet them there (Mk. 16:1-7). Luke confirms that it was two men in shining garments who met the women and told them that the Lord was indeed risen, reminding the women of the words the Lord had spoken to them (Lk. 24:1-8). What joy it must have been for the angels to give these messages to the women! Sad to say, the disciples did not at first believe the message the women brought (Lk. 24:11).

John also mentions two angels on that first day of the week in John 20:11-18. Mary Magdalene had stayed behind at the tomb weeping when the other women went away with their message. As she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb, seeing two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and the other at the foot of where the body of Jesus had lain. They asked her why she was weeping. She replied, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him” (NKJV). After saying this she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not recognize Him. In addition to asking her why she was weeping, the Lord asked, “Whom are you seeking?” Thinking He was the gardener she said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” Jesus then spoke her name. Recognizing Him, she exclaimed, “Teacher!” The Lord would not let her cling to Him, but sent her to bring a wonderful message to His mourning disciples indicating their new relationship to Him. That resurrection day was busy indeed.

After these activities early in the morning we do not read of further angelic activity on that first day of the week, although we can well imagine that they were filled with joy while watching their Lord in loving activity among His own. The Gospels focus on the activities of the Lord Himself, appearing first to Mary Magdalene and then to the women who had come to the tomb, to Peter, to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus and finally to the eleven and those with them behind closed doors.

Angels And The Ascension Of The Lord Jesus
Forty days after He arose from the grave the Lord Jesus went back to heaven. We do not read of angelic appearances during the days between His resurrection and ascension as the focus is entirely upon the Lord Himself. Scripture does not indicate that He appeared to any unbelievers during this time, but it only records appearances to His eleven disciples and other believers. These appearances took place in Jerusalem and the nearby areas of Judea, as well as on a mountain in Galilee and on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.

The early verses of Acts 1 indicate that the main topic of discussion during this time was things pertaining to the kingdom of God. In fact, immediately before our Lord’s ascension the apostles were asking Him whether He would at this time restore the kingdom to Israel. He told them that the times and seasons were not for them to know for the Father had placed them in His own authority (Acts 1:1-7). He went on to say that they would receive power after the Holy Spirit would come upon them and they would be witnesses to Him in Jerusalem (the place where He had been crucified and where they were at the time), in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Acts 1:8).

When He had said this to them, as they were watching, Jesus was taken up and a cloud received Him out of their sight. He did not disappear in a flash but ascended as the disciples watched Him. What a sight it must have been! He went up as a Man (Acts 1:9). No man had ever done this before. Enoch and Elijah had been taken up (Gen. 5:24; 2 Ki. 2:11) and God had buried Moses (Dt. 34:6), but Christ’s ascension was unique. A cloud received Him out of their sight. This was the Shekinah glory cloud from which God had repeatedly spoken as Israel traversed the wilderness to Canaan (Num. 11:25, 12:5-8). This was the cloud that had filled the tabernacle and the temple when they were dedicated (Ex. 40:34-35; 1 Ki. 8:10-11). And it was the cloud out of which the Father had spoken on the Mount of Transfiguration when Peter proposed building tabernacles there for Jesus, Moses and Elijah (Mt. 17:5). God was welcoming His beloved Son back to the glory after He had accomplished the work the Father had given Him to do on earth.

Standing with the disciples as they watched Jesus ascend to heaven were two men clothed in white – angels. They now spoke to the apostles, asking why they were gazing up into heaven. “This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven,” the angels told them (Acts 1:10-11).

This coming is not the Rapture for which we and so many other believers are eagerly waiting. That will be sudden, instantaneous and secret as far as the unbelieving world is concerned (1 Cor. 15:52; 1 Th. 4:16-17). The Lord’s visible ascent into heaven shows us how He will return at the end of the Great Tribulation when He comes to judge the nations and set up His kingdom. His saints will be following Him (2 Th. 1:10; Rev. 19:11-14), and His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives from which He ascended (Zech. 14:4).

Yes, angels watched the Lord go up; and no doubt there were countless hosts of angels to welcome Him back to heaven. He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high (Heb. 1:3), something no angel would dare to do! Indeed, God the Father welcomed Him back, saying, “Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool” (Acts 2:34-36; Heb. 1:13). Here it is appropriate to apply the words of Psalm 24:7-10: “Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, The LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory.”

By Eugene P. Vedder, Jr.

Look for part four of this series in next month’s issue.