A curious Question about Angels

[CherieR]

At the end of my shift tonight I was thinking how Satan masquerades as an angel of light and the question came to me that if Satan masquerades as an angel of light, how did people from the bible know that when they were speaking with an angel that he was sent by God? I know that the way people would discern a true prophet is if what he said came to pass and if it did not, that prophet was not sent by God.

 

[JaumeJ]

If the message received from the angel is not accompanied by the confirmation within of the Holy Spirit…….beware.

I know God has spoken at least on one occasion to each person who is convinced of Jesus Christ for they cannot know Jesus is Savior without tht holy confirmation. I believe God has most likely spoken to everyone who believes Jesus more than just one time, but I could be wrong.

So the bottom line on angels, the Holy Spirit…..if He does not accompany the mesage, hold it in your heart until it is confirmed in this holy manner.

 

[p_rehbein]

One way, and it may seem trite.........check the Scriptures to see how an angel from God begins their conversation....

Every one I have found start out................ Fear Not .............. angels from God want us to know that they are not a threat to us......

I don't know of an instance when a demon appeared as an angel................... Scripture says the devil can, but does it also say his minions can as well? Dunno that........don't remember an instance in Scripture of that happening.........

Anyway, I go with the "fear not" theory.........

 

[Kaps89]

One way, and it may seem trite.........check the Scriptures to see how an angel from God begins their conversation....

Every one I have found start out................ Fear Not .............. angels from God want us to know that they are not a threat to us......

I don't know of an instance when a demon appeared as an angel................... Scripture says the devil can, but does it also say his minions can as well? Dunno that........don't remember an instance in Scripture of that happening.........

Anyway, I go with the "fear not" theory.........

Yeah I mean if an angel appears and tells me to 'fear not' I'm probably still gonna be like

T

 

[Adstar]

At the end of my shift tonight I was thinking how Satan masquerades as an angel of light and the question came to me that if Satan masquerades as an angel of light, how did people from the bible know that when they were speaking with an angel that he was sent by God? I know that the way people would discern a true prophet is if what he said came to pass and if it did not, that prophet was not sent by God.

God said that we must test the spirits to see if they where from God.. So that is the way one would test an Angel to see if it was from God.. sadly people like muhammad did not test the spirit that came to him and he ended up founding an evil religion that is leading millions into deception.. Same thing happened to the founder of Mormonism..

Got to be very careful if an angel comes knocking on your door..

 

[dcontroversal]

At the end of my shift tonight I was thinking how Satan masquerades as an angel of light and the question came to me that if Satan masquerades as an angel of light, how did people from the bible know that when they were speaking with an angel that he was sent by God? I know that the way people would discern a true prophet is if what he said came to pass and if it did not, that prophet was not sent by God.

Well.....the bible is inspired and every account we have makes it clear that it was an angel of/from the Lord........it is equally clear that the Serpent in the garden was not of or from God.....

Now.....outside the perimeters of the bible....each and every case is suspect IMO...................

 

[CherieR]

God said that we must test the spirits to see if they where from God.. So that is the way one would test an Angel to see if it was from God.. sadly people like muhammad did not test the spirit that came to him and he ended up founding an evil religion that is leading millions into deception.. Same thing happened to the founder of Mormonism..

Got to be very careful if an angel comes knocking on your door..

Yes, this makes sense. If you see an angel and he preaches a different gospel then don't listen to him. I have never see an angel appear to me in person that I had recognized as an angel. I have heard from Scripture some have entertained angels without knowing so.

 

[posthuman]

At the end of my shift tonight I was thinking how Satan masquerades as an angel of light and the question came to me that if Satan masquerades as an angel of light, how did people from the bible know that when they were speaking with an angel that he was sent by God?

since the masquerade is by way of appearance, what about close our eyes and see if it is still light?
anyway, to look beyond appearance. as previously alluded to, very often people's immediate reaction upon seeing such a messenger is to fall down in apprehension and worship -- and the angel's immediate rebuke is not to worship them, as they are servants just as we are. the reaction to worship was a reaction according to the appearance.

i dunno how helpful that is but it's a clue

 

[reneweddaybyday]

I'm not sure that people always knew they were speaking with angels. Maybe they did and maybe they didn't:

Hebrews 13:2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares

 

[JaumeJ]

What wonder. remember how Samuel was hearing God and did not know it…...of course he did not see Him, but he heard Him

Let us not lose sight of the two disciples who were taught of Jesus Christ,Himself, while walking on the roaqd and they did not realize it was the Lord until He had disappeared from them…..wonderul an d marvelous.

I would probably fail the entertaining angels test were it to occur to me, but the Lord knows. Let us practice hospitality to all……….

 

[PennEd]

One way, and it may seem trite.........check the Scriptures to see how an angel from God begins their conversation....

Every one I have found start out................ Fear Not .............. angels from God want us to know that they are not a threat to us......

I don't know of an instance when a demon appeared as an angel................... Scripture says the devil can, but does it also say his minions can as well? Dunno that........don't remember an instance in Scripture of that happening.........

Anyway, I go with the "fear not" theory.........

In the 2 instances we have of satan speaking to humans on Earth, He called God a liar, or omitted parts of God's Word.

1.Genesis 2:16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you[f] shall surely die.”

Genesis 3:4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

2. When satan tempted our Lord in the desert, he omitted parts of God's Word.

Matthew 4:
5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:

‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’
and,

‘In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”

Psalm 91:11-12 New King James Version (NKJV)
11 For He shall give His angels charge over you,
TO KEEP YOU IN ALL YOUR WAYS. Notice how satan omits this line.
12 In their hands they shall [a]bear you up,
Lest you [b]dash your foot against a stone.

Our enemy will also take verses out of context to trip us up.

So we must test the spirits carefully by the the Word. If a handsome, smiling person, tells you what you want to hear, MUST be countered by checking the Word.

 

[p_rehbein]

Agreed..........and I knew that the old devil had made an appearance or two, but I was trying to think of one of his mean nasties taking on the appearance of an angel...........I can't remember one

 

[Deade]

Did you ever notice the patriarchs doubting the angel or even the Lord when they appeared. Something tells me their holiness will be apparent upon visualization. Like when Abraham encountered the Lord with two angels on the plains of Mamre; the first thing he did was bow and call Him "my Lord."

Now when a spirit whispers in our ear (or even telepathically) we need to try the spirits (1 John 4:1). A vision is so rare, we will almost always know if it is from God or not. Maybe Satan is not even allowed visions. In Eden Satan talked through a snake. In Christ's temptation, we are not told if Satan was visible: only that he talked.

 

[CherieR]

Did you ever notice the patriarchs doubting the angel or even the Lord when they appeared. Something tells me their holiness will be apparent upon visualization. Like when Abraham encountered the Lord with two angels on the plains of Mamre; the first thing he did was bow and call Him "my Lord."

Now when a spirit whispers in our ear (or even telepathically) we need to try the spirits (1 John 4:1). A vision is so rare, we will almost always know if it is from God or not. Maybe Satan is not even allowed visions. In Eden Satan talked through a snake. In Christ's temptation, we are not told if Satan was visible: only that he talked.

I cannot think of a time where someone doubted it was an angel. What came to my mind was how Zechariah doubted what the angel said about how Elizabeth will have a child... and in the Old Testament Gideon had a fleece that he used to make sure about God's will even though an angel did appear to him.

 

[Deade]

I cannot think of a time where someone doubted it was an angel. What came to my mind was how Zechariah doubted what the angel said about how Elizabeth will have a child... and in the Old Testament Gideon had a fleece that he used to make sure about God's will even though an angel did appear to him.

Yes, there is a difference of doubting an angel or their message. Sarah even doubted the Lord on the plains of Mamre for the same reason that Zechariah doubted Gabriel: she was too old to have a child (Gen. 18:12-14).

 

[JaumeJ]

Depending on how it is used, the word, angel, may be a man, a messenger of God, God, a spirit, a ghost, and certainly more than these definitions…..

 

[TabinRivCA]

At the end of my shift tonight I was thinking how Satan masquerades as an angel of light and the question came to me that if Satan masquerades as an angel of light, how did people from the bible know that when they were speaking with an angel that he was sent by God? I know that the way people would discern a true prophet is if what he said came to pass and if it did not, that prophet was not sent by God.

At least two times I encountered an angel. One who flew to me had a golden face with fiery eyes to tell me my daughter, who was in intensive care, was going to be alright. I was in peace after that. The other time my car gave out on the freeway with my children. I pulled over and noticed someone pulling over right with me. A man came to the window and asked if I needed help. I explained and he offered to take me to our home. My kids were shaking their heads 'no'. But every time I go on the freeway I say a prayer of protection so I thought , well if I believe my prayers I have to trust this man. He had a book on his dashboard w/picture of a man w/a beard. He took us right to my driveway. As we got out I turned around to offer him some gas money and he was gone.
So my thinking is that they were ministering angels of help. I'm sure I've met more I was 'unaware' of.

 

[marinerscatch]

Generally, I highly doubt we know we are entertaining angels in the current moment. It's afterwards we get a clearer picture of whom we were just in contact with. But, if we have the gift of discernment, we should know right away if we have a good vibe or bad vibe towards who we communicate to, angel - demon - human.

 

[Nehemiah6]

...how did people from the bible know that when they were speaking with an angel that he was sent by God?

The answer is in the Bible: To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. (Isa 8:20)

Once again we see the importance of knowing Scripture and examining all things in the light of Scripture. In this verse *the Law* means the entire Tanakh (called *the Holy Scriptures*).

 

[Adstar]

Yes, this makes sense. If you see an angel and he preaches a different gospel then don't listen to him. I have never see an angel appear to me in person that I had recognized as an angel. I have heard from Scripture some have entertained angels without knowing so.

That is correct... Angels can appear as normal human beings..