Angels, Retreat 1997

Angels

Given by DeVita Brown

at the PLIM 1997 Retreat in White Cloud Michigan

Reported by Dr. Lee Warren, B.A., D.D.

See Related Articles: ESOTERIC MYSTERIES REVEALED

Introduction

DeVita Brown pointed out in her discourse that a belief has always existed in creatures called angels that inhabited a spiritual realm and were able to go between both the material and spiritual worlds. Angels were believed to be invisible messengers of God (Elohim) that had great power and aided humans in their journey through life.

Although many Christians believe that angels are unique to Christianity and Israel, there are records from other religions, such as the Zoroastrians, Islam, and the American Indians, and the Bible, that show angels did visit other cultures and religions. Her discourse also illustrated the angelic structure and their function and provided Biblical and modern day accounts of angels.

The etymology of the word angel comes from the Greek word angelos which means messenger. The Hebrew word for Angel is Malak, which means: Shadow side of God, emanations from YAHWEH, and messenger. According to Oxford Universal Dictionary the definition of angel is: A ministering spirit or divine messenger; one of an order of spiritual beings superior to man in power and intelligence, who are the attendants and messengers of the Deity. A Book of Angels, pg. 27

Do many cultures have a shared belief in angels?

Religions have a common view of angels. Many religions were founded as the result of certain individuals having visions of angels. This is especially true of the three Mid-eastern religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Even before these religions, many civilizations also had a shared belief in angels. For example, Egyptian writings and art work often tends to depict the Egyptian goddess Isis with wings like an angel. The Bible, especially the book of Genesis, documents that many nations during the time of Abraham believed in angels along with their gods.

DeVita stated that a number of nations used various symbols, such as birds, to represent angelic beings although many, especially Christians, failed to see that they represent angels.

Devita quotes A Book of Angels by There are angels in Zoroastrianism, in Buddhism, in Taoism. ... Shamanistic practices have their own intercourse with winged beings, though often they come in the form of eagles or ravens or spirits that we dont associate with Christian iconography (pg. 27-28).

Finally, as was mentioned earlier, all cultures have shared mutual perspectives on angels. They all believed that they are spiritual (non-physical) creatures, have great powers and wisdom, originate from another world, and have the ability to travel between the physical and the spiritual, as various amphibians like a frog can live in the water and on land.

Is there a disagreement on the nature and appearance of angels?

DeVita points out in her discourse that there is much disagreement among various religions on both the structure, which will be discussed in the next section, and nature of the angelic creation. Even though there is great deal of information written about angels, the problem is the interpretation of these accounts.

Most people interpret the experiences in a literal sense even though they know that these creatures are spiritual. Basically, the chief source of angelic information is the Bible for Christians that is unfortunately interpreted literally. There are other non-canon books not in the Bible such as The Book of Enoch (Translated by Richard Laurence (C) 1977 Wizards Bookshelf) and others books that give a more detail explanation of the angelic realm than the Bible. Without some type of model pattern, no one can understand the appearance of angels to mankind.

How do angels appear by the tabernacle pattern?

The appearance of angels to humans operates according to the 3-fold tabernacle pattern. Simply put, as there are three states of matter: gas, liquid and solid, likewise angels appear to humans in three ways, which most scholars and Bible students have overlooked but many students of divine metaphysics understand this operation of materialization.

Angels can appear invisible to the inner eye and because they show no form, only their presence is felt. This type of appearance correlates by the Tabernacle Pattern with the gaseous state of matter and Most Holy Place which the high priest enters once a year, which will be examined later.

Now the second type of angelic appearance to humans is one of the most obvious. Angels appear as light-emitting creatures seen only in visions and dreams. This type of appearance correlates with the liquid state of matter and the Holy Place, where the seven branched golden candlestick, the golden table of shewbread, and the golden altar of incense are housed.

The Bible contains an innumerable number of cases of these most obvious manifestation of angels appearing as light emitting creatures to humans. The light that emanates from angels is not physical, but is a spiritual light. (See "Why Does the Soul Emanate Light?" in the July/August 1993 issue of the "PLIM REPORT") Their appearance usually overwhelms all earth bound human. Angels appeared at the tomb of the Messiah telling the women of His resurrection (Lk. 24:3-8). Yahshua the Messiah demonstrated the light of the noonday sun to His Apostles Peter, James, and John at the Transfiguration atop Mt. Tabor. He took off the physical body and put on a spiritual body that emanated a brilliant light (Mt. 17:1-8). This light emitting body of the Messiah also appeared to the Apostle Paul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-5). The next form of angels appearing is not very obvious.

The third type of angelic appearance can assume human form making humans think that angels are just another human (Heb. 13:2). This correlates with the solid state of matter and the Court Round About in the tabernacle pattern. It also correlates with Elohim, the Word or Son being made flesh (Jn. 1:14).

The Bible verifies angels appearing in human form to Abraham, Jacob, Lot, etc. When the Messiah resurrected from the grave, He was able to walk through solid walls. Then He put on the appearance of flesh so that His disciples were able to touch and feel His wounds and ate food as any human does (Jn. 20:19-29 and 21st Chapter). Hence, we see that angelic creatures have this power to put and take off human form.

What is the gender of angels?

In the physical creation all humans are either male or female by gender. Now the angelic creation does not have gender, as we know it. DeVita quotes Ruth Crystal, in her book, Angel Talk, who refers to angelic interaction with humans thus: I am giving you the descriptions of the angels I have seen. I believe we cannot see their true form fully. What we see is the angels personal translation, from the spiritual realm to the physical realm, enabling us to comprehend them. .... Angels have no gender as we know it. I have come to understand that they will look and sound either masculine or feminine in accordance with the energy and content of the message they are sending (pg. 16-17). Among scholars this is the general consensus.

What is the structure of the angelic creation?

The structure of the angelic creation seems to very obscure unless one uses the tabernacle of Israel. Many have tried to use the heavenly bodies, such as the planets, moon, stars and sun, to determine the order of angels. The number of orders varies from 4 to 6 to 7 to 9, but according to the scriptures there appears to be 12. This is determined by the number of tribes of Israel camped around the tabernacle and the number of disciples the Messiah chose. So there is basically a hierarchy in heaven, as exists in mans affairs. This structure can also be seen when we compare humans in physical body, ghosts, and angels (both righteous and unrighteous). Using the three-fold tabernacle pattern you have the following structure (see illustration on p. 31).

What are the differences between ghosts, human souls, and angels?

Many will ask if there is any difference between angels, human souls, or ghosts. First of all a ghost is a human soul that is basically stuck in the earth realm and has not moved on to the spiritual world for one reason or another.

In reality, there is no difference between the human soul and the angel in terms of the substance in which they were created. Both are made from the same spiritual substance as Elohim. The angels were made first in the angelic realm and the human souls were second for the physical realm.

Now the difference between human souls and angels is that angels are more spiritually mature, powerful, and knowledgeable especially in the area of knowing Good and Evil (Gn. 3:22). They have already undergone their experience of being subject to evil in the angelic realm. It was only after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that humans began to overcome evil. The ultimate purpose of Elohim is to unite these two creations as one in the Messiah.

What Biblical angelic appearances exist?

DeVita Brown mentions many instances of angels appearing to humans as documented in the Bible. She mentions a few of the most famous instances of angelic appearances from the countless number of cases.

A. Two angels (disguised as men) on the way to Sodom & Gomorrah visited Abraham - Gen. 18:1-5.

B. An angel led Israel through their migration (Angels guarded Israel in the way, Exodus 24:20).

C. Ezekiel experienced visions of Angels - Ezek. 1:4-28.

D. An Angel saved Daniel from lions - Dan. 6:22.

E. The Angel Gabriel visited Mary - Luke 1:26-31.

F. Angels appeared at Yahshuas tomb - Matthew 28: 1-6.

G. An Angel released Peter from prison - Acts 12:6-11.

H. Angels show John future events in symbolic form - Rev. 14:6-9, Rev. 17:1-2, Rev. 18: 1-4.

Now angels have not stopped appearing to humans since A.D. 96 when they appeared to John in the book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible. Many other historical documents have proved that angels are still appearing to humans.

Do angels appear in modern times?

History scholars have written secular history void of divine intervention and supernatural appearances. For example, in the history of the founding of the United States there is no mention of an angel appearing to George Washington at Valley Forge and showing him the destiny of the United States.

Manly P. Hall has documented other appearances of angels in the birth of the United States in his book Secret Teachings of All Ages. He stated that an angel intervened in making the American Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.

Angels have also been documented as fighting in WORLD WAR I, as in the case Sophy Burnham mentions in her book and also in Time Magazine article (pg. 61). A famous angel visitation occurred at Mons during World War I. Among the most memorable stories of WWI is the tale of the Angel of Mons. In August 1914 during one of the first battles of the war, British and French troops were retreating from a German assault." As Burnham tells the story .... The Germans said the allied position was held by thousands of troops though in fact there were only two regiments there. These are just a few instances of cases where angels appeared. There are countless instances where angels appeared to humans on an individual basis.

What spiritual principles can be gleaned?

DeVita Brown concluded her discourse by stating the various principles we should learn when angels appear to humans. They are as follows:

A. The establishment of faith and hope in Elohim

B. Belief or reliance on a power higher than man

C. Realization that we are part of a universal brotherhood in heaven and earth

D. Proof of the existence of another realm. A Book of Angels, pg. 85-87.

E. A transformation that occurs in peoples lives and how they live it.

F. Realization of mans limited power, and that with God all things are possible (Mark 9:23)

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