Angels have various jobs in Bible. For example, some are Messengers and some are Guardians. The Greek word “angelos,” literally means “message, or messenger.” [In English we have the word “evangelism” which comes from the Greek word “eu-angelion,” the “good angel,” the “Good Message, the Good News, the Gospel.”] So an Angel, first of all, is a messenger from God. They proclaim the Good News of salvation, and sometimes the bad news of God’s judgment. We see this in the New Testament a number of times. The Angel Gabriel has a message to Mary that she would bear a son who was Christ the Savior. Then when Jesus was born, the Christmas Angels reported his birth to the shepherds and they sang “Glory to God in the Highest, and Peace to his People on Earth.” Then there are the Angels on Easter at the empty tomb who proclaimed, “He is not here, he is risen.”
Guardian angels would be like those in today’s Gospel reading. Matthew 18:10. “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.” Or, Psalm 91:9-13, “If you make the Most High your dwelling--even the LORD, who is my refuge--then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.”
Because my name is Michael, my favorite angel is Michael the Archangel. He appears both in the Book of Daniel and the Book of Revelation. In Daniel, Michael is the guardian of the people of Israel who are in exile in Persia. In Revelation Michael fights against the Dragon and the evil angels belonging to the Dragon. This Dragon is called “the Devil and Satan—the deceiver of the whole world.” This Dragon, was thrown out of heaven, but was thrown down to earth, and so here on earth he is full of wrath because he knows his end is coming.
The Devil, also knows as Satan, and his evil angels are in this world, and so there is evil in this world. The origin of this evil is with the devil, and so human efforts to thwart evil seem to be ineffective. We cannot abolish this evil by social programs, by laws, or by wars. This evil is larger than humans. It opposes us and opposes God. It is greater than us, so we need a greater power, a heavenly power to do battle for us. We need an Archangel like Michael. What weapon does the Michael use? A sword looks good in paintings, but is really ineffective against a cosmic force. What can defeat Satan? How does he work?
The Devil is called “Satan.” The word “Satan” means “The Accuser, the prosecuting attorney.” As a lawyer, he works with God’s own law and order. He is “the deceiver of the whole world.” And so he uses deception and deceit and lies. A certain preacher* said it this way: “Satan is a devilish fellow who first tempts us with lies and then becomes a tattletale who slays us with the truth. Satan tempts us all to sin and then hauls us into court and accuses us day and night before God.”
- * That "certain preacher" is Paul Jaster. His full analysis of this Bible Text for St. Michael and All Angels can be found at Crossings.org. Click here for Saint Michael and All Angels, Gospel Year C.
That is the message of Genesis Chapter 3. We are told that the apple is good, and it really is good, if used correctly. But the old Serpent tells the truth, but tricks us into eating the various apples of our lives that lead to sin. And we cannot blame anyone else, we cannot blame the snake, either… because we took the bite. We are guilty. We have broken God’s laws and commandments. It is an open and shut case against us. Satan knows God’s justice. He knows the verdict of God’s law. It is death, it is condemnation.
So, how is Michael going to come and rescue us? How is he going to cast down the Accuser and lift up us the accused? What will be his weapon? It was Jesus Christ. It was his cross. It was the Lamb of God dying in our place, in our stead. As Revelation 12:11 says, “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” The weapon that Michael used was the cross of Jesus and the word of the Gospel. A weapon like a sword cannot change the justice of God’s law, but love and mercy and the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross can.
On the cross, the justice of God was executed upon Jesus. Our sin was on Jesus and he took the punishment for our sin. Jesus himself never committed a sin, so Satan can accuse him of nothing. Death also has no power over him. And the Easter angel said, “He is risen.” Satan lost the battle. Salvation has come. The devil can not longer accuse us. However, as Revelation 12:12 says, “But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.” For a while longer on earth, we must endure the deadly and evil ways of Satan.
But we have our guardian angels who look over us and protect us. And we have the same weapon that Michael had. We have the Word of God and the Promise of Jesus Christ. We have the Gospel of the Cross. We have baptism which gives us new birth and new life.
In our battle with the devil, St. Paul tells us to put on the armor of God. Ephesians 6:17, “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” It is the word of forgiveness. It is the word of love and peace. It is the promise word of Jesus Christ. Therefore we rejoice with the angels in heaven and praise the name of our Lord and Savior.
Amen.
Salutation and Prayer of the Day LSB page 156
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
P: Let us pray. Everlasting God,
C: you have wonderfully established the ministries of angels and mortals. Mercifully grant that as Michael and the angels contend against the cosmic forces of evil, so by your direction they may help and defend us here on earth, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God whom we worship and praise with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven, now and forever. Amen.
* That "certain preacher" is Paul Jaster. His full analysis of this Bible Text for St. Michael and All Angels can be found at Crossings.org. Click here for Saint Michael and All Angels, Gospel Year C.
Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church
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