A Divine Revelation of Angels (2 page)

I sincerely thank my church, the National Church of God in Washington, D.C., and my pastor, the Reverend Stephen Lowery, for their support and encouragement.

I gratefully recognize and credit those at Whitaker House in New Kensington, Pennsylvania, who have been so instrumental in making these messages from God available to the reading public.

Most of all, I am grateful to God who has called me to share these messages. I give all praise and honor and glory to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

—Mary K. Baxter

Part I

1

People have been captivated by the idea of angels for centuries. Throughout history, most religions have held certain beliefs concerning spiritual beings, powers, and principalities. In ancient times, unenlightened pagans usually believed spiritual beings were the disembodied spirits of departed ancestors, spirits of things in nature, or fairy beings from another world.

Archaeologists have discovered representations of winged beings in early cave art, etched on walls and cliffs. The classical artists of the medieval period popularized the use of artistic symbols in their works, so that one could immediately recognize an angel in a painting. They usually showed angels as humanlike figures with wings, white robes, halos, and often harps or other types of musical instruments. The wings on the angels were meant to signify that they were celestial beings. Their white robes and halos symbolized purity and holiness. The musical instruments were included to indicate that angels sing praises to God. Depictions of angels in both medieval and Renaissance paintings contribute to many of our current ideas about what angelic beings look and act like.

“Angel Mania”

Angels are a hugely popular subject in today’s society. In my ministry travels over the past few years, I have observed a steadily rising interest in celestial beings among people of all walks of life. Everywhere I go, people ask me about angels. Even Christians from more traditional backgrounds that don’t usually emphasize the supernatural realm show an increasing fascination with these heavenly creatures.

There are many signs of a widespread interest in angels not only in the church, but also throughout our society. Our museums are crammed full of paintings and sculptures of winged beings. Best-seller lists regularly feature titles about angels. Bookstores have whole sections of their displays devoted to celestial beings.

In addition, we regularly read and see reports in the media about angels. A current popular television show called Touched by an Angel suggests the existence of guardian angels. Not long ago, another highly rated program called Highway to Heaven featured an angel sent to earth to assist mortals.

The lyrics of many popular songs speak about angels. Representations of celestial beings also appear on birthday cards and wedding invitations. They abound as souvenirs, jewelry, and religious or semi-religious dust catchers. Artists and writers continue to depict angels in many forms.

Time magazine published a cover story entitled “Angels among Us.” The writers of the article explained the phenomenon of the current craze for angels in this way:

For those who choke too easily on God and his rules, theologians observe, angels are the handy compromise, all fluff and meringue, kind, nonjudgmental. And they are available to everyone, like aspirin.

It seems that many people today use the idea of angels to ease their consciences, escape the realities of life, and enter an imaginary world that seems pleasant and nondemanding.

What are angels? Do such creatures really exist? Or are they make-believe, like elves and fairies? Are they just beings that fertile minds have conjured up, imaginary figures that have become hopelessly suspended between reality and fantasy? If they do exist, how can we be sure? Can they be seen?

My Interest in Angels

My own interest in angels is more than a passing fad or craze. Many years ago, God began to give me dreams, visions, and revelations of the spiritual realm, including those that revealed the work of His angels. I am not referring to special people who are “angels” to us; I am talking about God’s spirit messengers, His special agents who do His bidding and are sent to rescue His people. These visions and revelations usually came when I was in prayer and meditation on God’s Word.

I have written about many of these experiences in my books A Divine Revelation of Hell, A Divine Revelation of Heaven, and A Divine Revelation of the Spirit Realm.* In these accounts, I tell in great detail of the revelation knowledge God has given to me and what He has shown me over the years concerning His mysteries. In A Divine Revelation of Angels, I want to emphasize the visions and revelations of angels that God has given to me. I want to show what the work of angels in our lives means for us as we love and serve God.

In 1976, when I started telling the story of the revelations God had given to me, I was like a pioneer pushing into unfamiliar territory. When I went out to speak, there were times when I was mocked, persecuted, and ridiculed. But I kept telling my story because I felt I had a mandate from God. Today, God is sending manifestations and revelations in abundance. God has mysteries to reveal to us at this hour, and we must believe Him.

The Purpose of God’s Revelations

I am Christ’s servant, and I’m excited about the fact that He is merciful and good to His servants. God has given me these visions and revelations so that, in turn, I can give them to the body of Christ and to those who are not yet believers. They are signs that God is working among us. The Bible says, “Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7). God has revealed these things to give us hope, to encourage us, and to show us that He is with us.

What I will relate to you lines up with the Word of God. I know from the Bible and from the revelations God has given me that angels—real angels—are not myths or legends. They are more than a marketing gimmick or a premise for a television program. They are true spiritual beings.

I write these things to lift up Jesus Christ, to exalt Him. The purpose of these revelations is to draw people close to God and to bring Him honor and glory. You need to know just how much Jesus loves and cares about you. There is so much He wants to talk to you about, so much He wants to open up your heart to. He desires your companionship. He desires to reveal Himself to you. You can talk to Him, and He will talk to you. He is an awesome, loving God!

I want you to know that I love the Lord Jesus with all my heart. He is so good to me. What I’m saying in this book is true. I want you to understand this so that you can sit with Christ in heavenly places. This is something He wants for all of us:

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:4–6)

God has put it on my heart to write this book about angels. He is inspiring books to be written to let the world know what a good God He is and how He takes care of His people. I’ve seen angels in action many times, and I’m praying that the Holy Spirit will guide me as I relate some of these revelations to you. As I write down what God has given me to share, I pray that it will strengthen and enlighten you in the mysteries and revelations of God.

I also pray that this book will go all over the world to help many other people who need
God—that these testimonies of angels in action will help thousands of people know the reality of God’s love and concern for them. Through the truths presented here, I’m praying that God—either directly or through His angels—will undo heavy burdens, heal sicknesses and diseases in the name of Jesus, and help the oppressed go free. It is God’s desire “to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and...break every yoke” (Isaiah 58:6).

I get excited all over again when I remember the marvelous revelations God has given me and what He has shown me about His holy angels. Truly God has mercy, and He has angels working for our benefit. In Parts I and II of this book, I will explain what the Bible has to say about the nature and role of angels. In Part III, I will relate what the Lord has revealed to me by His Holy Spirit about these heavenly messengers. I will also share some visions I’ve seen of the angels of God in action. These visions emphasize the many ways that angels bring glory to God and carry out His commands to guide, protect, comfort, defend, and deliver His people. Part IV provides an opportunity for personal reflection or group discussion of the themes presented in each chapter.

In the next chapter, we will learn what is true and what is myth concerning God’s heavenly messengers.

* published by Whitaker House

2

The study of angels is a serious and sacred pursuit. You have to be careful about some of the teachings you hear and read on the subject, especially what you find on the Internet. Much of so-called teaching on angels making the rounds these days—even in religious circles—is false, and it causes people to be deceived. In this day when we are experiencing a wave of “angel mania,” it is important to know what God’s Word says about angels. Uninformed conceptions of angels abound, as they have in the past, but I am writing these pages to declare the truth! The things I describe in this book are reality; none of them is fantasy.

Good and Evil Angels

Many people do not realize that there are two kinds of angels operating in the world today. This is why people can often become confused and deceived about the nature and role of celestial beings. Not all angels are kind and benevolent. There are good angels and there are evil angels.

Good angels continually seek to do God’s will, and they work for our benefit. Evil angels seek to deceive us about their true intentions toward us. They are demons who want to harm us rather than help us. This is why it can be very dangerous to learn about angels from those who don’t have a solid biblical understanding of their true nature and ways. I believe that one reason God wanted me to write this book was so people could know how to tell the difference between angels who want to help them and angels who desire to harm them. In this book, I mainly describe the things God has revealed to me concerning His good angels. We have to understand the truth about God’s holy angels if we are going to be able to discern what is counterfeit.

Angels in the Bible

Angels have been written about prominently in the Scriptures, and the Bible teaches that they are real beings. The Bible is our best source for understanding the true nature of angels because it is God’s own Word. “Every word of God is flawless” (Proverbs 30:5 niv).

In the Scriptures, the words angel and angels appear about three hundred times (combined), and the work of angels is referred to almost two hundred fifty times. Angels are mentioned in thirty-four books of the Bible (a little over half the books). The Hebrew word for angel most commonly used in the Old Testament is mal’ak, and the Greek word for angel most frequently used in the New Testament is aggelos. Both of these words mean “a messenger.” (See Strong’s #G32; #H4397.)

Scripture makes reference to the origin of angels and various types of angels, and it reveals important facts about their character, habits, and actions—much of which are contrary to popular belief about angels today. I will talk more about the nature and ways of angels in the next chapter. However, we must first recognize the following truths about angels in order to understand who they are and how they work in our lives.

Angels Were Created

First, what is the origin of angels? Did they always exist?

The Bible tells us that angels are a company of spiritual beings that were created by God Himself. For example, in the Old Testament, we read,

Praise [the Lord], all His angels; praise Him, all His hosts!...Let them praise the name of the Lord, for He commanded and they were created.(Psalm 148:2, 5)

In the New Testament, we find,

All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.(John 1:3)

By [Jesus] all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.(Colossians 1:16)

There is nothing anywhere that God did not create, including the angels.

The Bible doesn’t tell us exactly when angels were created, but it indicates that they already existed and were present when God created the earth. God asked Job,

Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone—while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?(Job 38:4–7 niv, emphasis added)

Angels Are Not Gods

Second, many people today think that angels are divine, and they look to them for direction in life. I have seen some books advertised that purport to tell you how to contact “your” angel. Some who present themselves as experts on angels tell their followers to love their angels and call upon them for health, healing, prosperity, and guidance.

This teaching is contrary to God’s Word. Angels are neither our gods nor our direct spiritual guides. They are not available for use at our convenience, like aspirin. They are not genies that we can summon to fulfill our wishes. We cannot call down an angel any time we want to, just by repeating certain phrases or reciting a magic formula or mantra. Angels are God’s servants, not ours. They come and go at His bidding. They respond to His voice, not to our commands or requests:

Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word, heeding the voice of His word. Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, you ministers of His, who do His pleasure.(Psalm 103:20–21)