-Jennifer LeClaire.
I recently heard a prophetic word that described an angelic visitation.
Of course, I am all for angelic visitations. Both the Old and New
Testament offer plenty of examples of angels appearing to people
to deliver heavenly messages. But this angel apparently had a
creative name. Its name was supposedly "Safe Passage."
It grieves me that we have to go around this mountain yet again in
the body of Christ. Wasn´t the controversy over Emma - the female
angel who purportedly started the modern-day prophetic movement -
enough to put an end to this sort of nonsense? Apparently not.
Let me be clear: There is no angel named Emma and there is no
angel named Safe Passage - and it´s assignment is not to escort
you safely into new opportunities or to clear fearsome corners
and honor your unsung courage.
However, if you Google the keywords "angel safe passage," you
might see where a misguided prophetic pen could draw such
erroneous inspiration. There´s a Safe Passage playing card that´s
a prominent "white angel" in a Dungeons & Dragons-style game.
In this context, "Safe Passage" is a sorcerer. On the more benign
side, "Safe Passage" was the title of a script for a 1997 episode
of Touched by an Angel. Either way, there is no God-sent angel
named Safe Passage.
It just so happened that when I stumbled upon the so-called
revelation of this angel named Safe Passage I was already
studying the topic of angels. In fact, I was in the midst of reading
Dr. Lester Sumrall´s Angels to Help You for a second time.
Sumrall offered abundant Scripture about the reality of angels,
the categories of angels-including their names and ranks - what
angels do, what angels know, angels and prophecy, what kind of
people receive angelic service, and much more.
Angels are real. Angels are mentioned 108 times in the Old
Testament and 165 times in the New Testament. Angels are
messengers. Angels are innumerable. The Bible mentions three
angels by name: Michael, Gabriel and Lucifer. But beyond that,
you have to go to religions like Zoroastrianism to find the names
of angels.
Zoroastrianism, also called Mazdaism, is a religion based on a
self-styled prophet named Zoroaster (also known as Avestan or
Zarathustra). Zoroastrianism was once among the largest religions
in the world, a political power in pre-Islamic Iran. Mazdaism believers
prayed to angels like Ameretat, Asha Vahishta and Vohu Mano
for protection.
In modern times, the New Age movement has an A-to-Z list of
named angels, some of which are supposedly rooted in Scripture.
There´s Abdiel, the professed "Angel of Faith." At the end of the
New Age list, you´ll find Zuriel, the "Angel of Harmony" who has
dominion over the sun sign of Libra.
As you can see, false teaching about angels has been circulating
the world since before Christ was born and well after He ascended
to the right hand of the Father. False teachings about angels was
an issue in the early church and it´s an issue in the end-time
church. "And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into
an angel of light" (2 Cor. 11:14).
Paul had an apostolic message for those who hyper-focused on
angels and their "teachings" at the expense of exalting Christ.
Paul was so bold as to say that if he - or an angel from heaven -
preached any other gospel than the gospel of Christ he should
be accursed (Gal. 1:8). Those are pretty strong words and ones
that should be heeded before we preach sermons or pen articles
that exalt angels.
Paul also said, "Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight
in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things
which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and
not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished
and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase
that is from God" (Col. 2:18-19).
Matthew Henry, an 18th century minister whose well-known
commentary provides an exhaustive verse-by-verse study of the
Bible, gets to the root of such angel exaltation: "They advanced
those notions to gratify their own carnal fancy, and were fond of
being thought wiser than other people. Pride is at the bottom of
a great many errors and corruptions, and even of many evil
practices, which have great show and appearance of humility."
Yes, angels are ministering spirits sent forth to minister to those
who will inherit salvation (Heb. 1:14). That´s us! Angels are sent
to execute God´s Word. By revelation of the Holy Spirit, David
wrote, "Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength,
who do His word, heeding the voice of His word" (Ps.103:20).
Angels stand ready to obey the Word of God and bring it to pass.
Yes, in a way angels may help provide us with safe passage.
When we make the Lord our dwelling place, no evil shall befall us
nor shall any plague come near our dwelling; for He shall give His
angels charge over us, to keep us in all our ways. In their hands
they shall bear us up, lest we dash our foot against a stone
(Psalm 91:9-12). But there is no angel named Safe Passage, at
least none of God´s angels.
One last thought: John mistakenly fell down to worship at the feet
of an angel who had shown him the revelations he recorded in the
book of Revelation. The angel immediately told him to worship
God (Rev. 22:8-9). We don´t know the name of this angel. If it
were important, the Holy Spirit would have revealed it. I suppose
some in the modern church would name him "Revelation," - some
may even claim "Revelation" is a female - and that would be yet
another error.
Let me end with the words of Jesus Himself: "Take heed that no
one deceives you... for false christs and false prophets will rise
and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the
elect" (Mk 13:5; 22). Amen. -Jennifer LeClaire, news editor, Charisma.
-Please comment on this topic at the following website-
http://www.johnthebaptisttv.com/
http://www.charismamag.com/index.php/blogs/the-plumb-line-by-jennifer-leclaire/3
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