The Truth about Angels - Ellen G. White (i like reading .TXT) 📗

to Balaam in the night, through one of His angels, and inquired of him, What men are these with thee? And Balaam said unto God, Balak the “son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying, Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt.... Come, now, curse me them.... And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them. Thou shalt not curse the people; for they are blessed.” The angel tells Balaam that the children of Israel are conducted under the banner of the God of heaven; and no curse from man could retard their progress. {TA 105.4}

In the morning he [Balaam] arose, and reluctantly told the men to return to Balak, for the Lord would not suffer him to go with them. Then Balak sent other princes, ... occupying a more exalted position than the former messengers; and this time Balak’s call was more urgent. “Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee coming unto me, for I will promote thee unto very great honor.... And Balaam answered and said, ... If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more.”—Spiritual Gifts 4a:44. {TA 106.1}

A second time Balaam was tested.... He longed to comply with the king’s request; and although the will of God had already been definitely made known to him, he urged the messengers to tarry, that he might further inquire of God; as though the Infinite One were a man, to be persuaded.—Patriarchs and Prophets, 440. {TA 106.2}

An angel was sent to Balaam to say unto him, “If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.”—The Spirit of Prophecy 1:321. {TA 106.3}

Balaam had received permission to go with the messengers from Moab, if they came in the morning to call him. But annoyed at his delay, and expecting another refusal, they set out their homeward journey without further consultation with him. Every excuse for complying with the request of Balak had now been removed. But Balaam was determined to secure the reward; and taking the beast upon which he was accustomed to ride, he set out on the journey. He feared that even now the divine permission might be withdrawn, and he pressed eagerly forward, impatient lest he should by some means fail to gain the coveted reward.—Patriarchs and Prophets, 441. {TA 107.1}

God’s anger was kindled against Balaam for his Heaven-daring folly, and “an angel of the Lord stood in the way for an adversary against him.” The animal, seeing the divine messenger, who was, however, invisible to the master, turned aside from the highway into a field. With cruel blows, Balaam brought the beast back into the path; but again, in a narrow place hemmed in by walls, the angel appeared, and the animal, trying to avoid the menacing figure, crushed the rider’s foot against the wall.—The Signs of the Times, November 25, 1880. {TA 107.2}

Balaam’s rage was unbounded, and with his staff he smote the animal more cruelly than before. God now opened its mouth, and by “the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice,” He “forbade the madness of the prophet.” 2 Peter 2:16. “What have I done unto thee,” it said, “that thou hast smitten me these three times?” {TA 107.3}

Furious at being thus hindered in his journey, Balaam answered the beast as he would have addressed an intelligent being—“Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.” ... {TA 107.4}

The eyes of Balaam were now opened, and he beheld the angel of God standing with drawn sword ready to slay him. In terror “he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.” The angel said to him, “Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? Behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me: and the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee.” ... {TA 108.1}

When he beheld the messenger of God, Balaam exclaimed in terror, “I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, 442, 443. {TA 108.2}

After the angel had impressively warned Balaam against gratifying the Moabites, he gave him permission to pursue his journey.... {TA 108.3}

Balak met Balaam, and inquired of him why he thus delayed to come when he sent for him; ... Balaam answered, Lo, I am come unto thee. He then told him that he had no power to say anything. The word that God should give him, that could he speak, and could go no further. Balaam ordered the sacrifices according to the religious rites. God sent His angel to meet with Balaam, to give him words of utterance, as He had done on occasions when Balaam was wholly devoted to the service of God. “And the Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and ... he took up his parable, and said, Balak, the king of Moab, hath brought me from Aram, ... saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel. How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied?” ... {TA 108.4}

Balak was disappointed and angry. He exclaims, “What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.” Balak thinks it is the grand appearance of the Israelites in their tents ... that keeps him from cursing them. He thinks if he takes him to ... where Israel will not appear to such advantage, he can obtain a curse from Balaam. Again, at Zophim ... Balaam offered burnt offerings, and then went by himself to commune with the angel of God. And the angel told Balaam what to say.—The Spirit of Prophecy 1:322-324. {TA 109.1}

Joshua Leads Israel Into Canaan

The Israelites deeply mourned for [Moses] their departed leader, and thirty days were devoted to special services in honor of his memory.... Joshua was now the acknowledged leader of Israel.... {TA 109.2}

Orders were now issued to make ready for an advance.... Leaving their encampment ... the host descended to the border of the Jordan.—Patriarchs and Prophets, 481, 483. {TA 109.3}

Four heavenly angels always accompanied the ark of God in all its journeyings, to guard it from all danger, and to fulfill any mission required of them in connection with the ark. Jesus the Son of God, followed by heavenly angels, went before the ark as it came to Jordan; and the waters were cut off before His presence. Christ and angels stood by the ark and the priests in the bed of the river, until all Israel had passed over Jordan.—The Spirit of Prophecy 1:399. {TA 109.4}

If the eyes of Joshua had been opened ... and he could have endured the sight, he would have seen the angels of the Lord encamped about the children of Israel; for the trained army of heaven had come to fight for the people of God, and the Captain of the Lord’s host was there to command.—The Review and Herald, July 19, 1892. {TA 110.1}

As Joshua withdrew from the armies of Israel, to meditate and pray for God’s special presence to attend him, he saw a man of lofty stature, clad in warlike garments, with his sword in his hand.... This was no common angel. It was the Lord Jesus Christ, He who had conducted the Hebrews through the wilderness, enshrouded in the pillar of fire by night, and a pillar of cloud by day. The place was made sacred by His presence, therefore Joshua was commanded to put off his shoes.—Spiritual Gifts 4a:61. {TA 110.2}

Awe-stricken, Joshua fell upon his face and worshiped, and heard the assurance, “I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valor,” and he received instruction for the capture of the city.—Patriarchs and Prophets, 488. {TA 110.3}

The Captain of the Lord’s host did not reveal Himself to all the congregation. He communicated only with Joshua, who related the story of this interview to the Hebrews. It rested with them to believe or to doubt the words of Joshua, to follow the commands given by him in the name of the Captain of the Lord’s host, or to rebel against his directions and deny his authority. They could not see the host of angels, marshaled by the Son of God.—Testimonies for the Church 4:162, 163. {TA 110.4}

The Taking of Jericho

The Captain of the Lord’s host Himself came from heaven to lead the armies of heaven in an attack upon the city. Angels of God laid hold of the massive walls and brought them to the ground.—Testimonies for the Church 3:264. {TA 111.1}

Christ and angels attended the circuit of the ark around Jericho, and finally cast down the massive walls of the city, and delivered Jericho into the hands of Israel.—The Spirit of Prophecy 1:399. {TA 111.2}

When Jericho fell, no human hand touched the walls of the city, for the angels of the Lord overthrew the fortifications, and entered the fortress of the enemy. It was not Israel, but the Captain of the Lord’s host that took Jericho. But Israel had their part to act to show their faith in the Captain of their salvation.—The Review and Herald, July 19, 1892. {TA 111.3}

If a single warrior had brought his strength to bear against the walls, the glory of God would have been lessened and His will frustrated. But the work was left to the Almighty; and had the foundation of the battlements been laid in the center of the earth and their summits reached the arch of heaven, the result would have been all the same, when the Captain of the Lord’s host led his legions of angels to the attack.—The Signs of the Times, April 14, 1881. {TA 111.4}

 

Chapter 10—Angels From the Time of the Judges to the Early Kingdom

Chapter 10—Angels From the Time of the Judges to the Early Kingdom

Christ as the “Angel of the Lord”

When God sent His angels anciently to minister or communicate to individuals, when they learned that it was an angel they had seen and talked with, they were struck with awe, and were afraid that they should die. They had such exalted views of the terrible majesty and power of God, they thought to be brought into such close connection with one direct from His holy presence, would destroy them.... Judges 6:22, 23; 13:21, 22; Joshua 5:13-15.—Spiritual Gifts 4b:152. {TA 112.1}

After the death of their leader [Joshua] and of the elders who were associated with him, the people began gradually to relapse into idolatry.... {TA 112.2}

The Lord did not permit the sins of His people to pass without rebuke. There were still faithful worshipers in Israel; and many others, from habit and early association, attended the worship of God at the tabernacle. A large company were assembled upon the occasion of a religious feast, when an angel of God, having first appeared at Gilgal, revealed himself to the congregation at Shiloh.... {TA 112.3}

This angel, the same that appeared to Joshua at the taking of Jericho, was no less a personage than the Son of God.... He showed