Gabriel the Angel

   Have you ever been visited by Angels? An Angelic event is a magnificent thing! Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (Israel), Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, David, Solomon, Isaiah and the Prophets, Mary, Joseph, the Shepherds, Zechariah the Priest and many others experienced this amazing presence! What was it like? Have you ever wondered?
   This week, author David Simon will take you into the Holy Place of the Temple in Jerusalem as Zechariah (father of John the Baptist) is greeted by Gabriel the Archangel of God. What was it like? The New Testament gives a glimpse at the story ... but did you know there was more?
   A Jewish writing called the Mishnah tells more details about what went on inside the Temple during the lifetime of Jesus. This account, when paired with the Bible adds many more details to the amazing story of Christmas. Why was Zechariah in the Holy Place? What does the Bible mean when it says, “chosen by lot”? How often did a Priest get to do what Zechariah did? Exactly what did he do? Why was it special?
   The Christmas Devotion book Advent Journeys will help you understand. The book is set out as journal entries of about 350 words each day. It is an easy read. {Zechariah’s Journey won a literary award for its content!} In seven short readings the mysterious figure Zechariah will come to life as he tells his story.
   The week will begin as Zechariah leaves home for duty. You will meet Elizabeth, his wife and a kinsman of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Then you will travel the short distance to Jerusalem with Zechariah the Priest.
   The story will take you into the living quarters of the Jewish Levites. You will learn their morning routine. You will visualize standing alongside as the sacrifices are made at the altar. And you will be present as Zechariah is chosen by lot.
   You will feel the presence of Gabriel as the archangel delivers God’s message to Zechariah. What was his reaction? Read Advent Journeys and find out! Better yet, ask a friend (or your Bible Study group) to join you. The book is available as an e-book, so you can take delivery today!
   Begin your reading, and experience the Bible and Christmas in a whole new wonderful way!

Angel Messengers

   Throughout history God has sent his messengers (Angels) to make announcements of great importance to people. Sometimes these messengers are seen as heavenly beings, at other times they appear as normal men, but the message is just the same, moving.

Abraham met three men at his tent

     Take for instance the day that three men show up at Abraham’s tent in Genesis 18. In traditional Bedouin hospitality, Abraham says, “Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree.” after the traditional informalities, one of the men asks, “Where is your wife Sarah?” and follows up with the statement, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.”

Farm fields in Israel

     In a more dramatic fashion a man of God who looked like an angel of God came to Manoah’s wife in Judges 13. He likewise announced the birth of a son who would “be a Nazirite, dedicated to God from the womb. He will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines.”
     The Bible says, “the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush.” (Ex 3:2) Joshua “looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand.” (Josh 5:13) “The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat.” (Judges 6:11) “David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth.” (1 Chronicles 21:16) and the Angel of the Lord met Elijah the Tishbite. (1 Kings 1:3)
     When an angel speaks to a person, it is always life changing. But, beware, “do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” (1 John 4:1; 1 Kings 13:18; Jer 14:14; 23:16; Mt 7:15). Paul said, “even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!” (Galatians 1:8) Check the message before you believe it!
     John did check the message of the Angel. He asked, “How can I be sure of this?” And even though the angel replied, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God,” John dubious until the baby, John the Baptist, was born. But history records he was born, and all things occurred according to the word of God. (Deut 18:18)

Advent Devotions, Walk the Bible

     You can read more about the meeting between Zechariah and Gabriel in the book Advent Journeys, available as a book, as a Kindle e-book, and readable through Amazon Prime) Order, or read the book today!

The Missing Body of Jesus

Drama is a unique format which can be used to bring stories of the Bible to life and to perk the imagination of all people from children to Senior Adults. The Case of the Missing Body is a play which envelops the audience into the set. Rather than sitting on the sidelines, the spectators become cast members and therefore, part of the action.

In this mystery thriller  an audience of total strangers
goes in search of a body which is missing from a tomb
The Body of Jesus must be found!!

My first experience with such a drama was at Second Presbyterian Church in Kansas City, where my family and I had the opportunity to attend a walk-through drama entitled “Journey to Bethlehem.’ I enjoyed the play so much, I enlisted the youth of my church to produce the play at Salem Baptist Church in Apex, NC. The people of Apex caught the vision for this experiential drama, and have produced it annually for twenty years. This type of drama has spread across the country, because it helps people experience Bible stories personally.

The setting opens with a marketplace
Merchants are selling wares and animals

Many years ago, I shared the drama with my current church in Mooresville, NC. We shared the Journey to Bethlehem for several years, until our choir developed such a large musical that it strained our personnel and he asked me to do the play at Easter rather than Christmas.

Pontius Pilate has called in his soldiers
He has called in the High Priest
The body of Jesus is missing
It must be found!!

I tried to adapt the “Journey to Bethlehem” for Easter, but it would not work. Something new needed to be created, and I was not sure how to write a play. That was until I make a trip to Denver, and on the airplane the thought came to me of how to create a walk-through drama for Easter. By the end of the trip I had written The Case of the Missing Body: A Walk-Thru Drama for Easter, .a walk-through drama for Easter that follows the same style as the program for Christmas.

The Donkey farmer asks:
How did the cross appear on my animals back?

Instead of finding the baby laying in a manger we find the crucified Lord who is risen from the dead. Along the way travelers (the audience) meets Pontius Pilate, centurions, the High Priest, tax collectors such as Matthew and Zacchaeus, the women who are preparing spices in the Upper Room, dancers, a donkey farmer, Nicodemus and angels. We produced this play for several years at Peninsula Baptist Church.

The grave is empty except for the angels who announce:
"He is not here! He has risen!"

I have now published the play in kindle format where it is available for less than a dollar because I want to share the idea. Please help me spread the word! This book contains the drama, and much more. I have included directions for the director, scene settings, and stories to help the cast get into character.

Jesus is risen indeed and speaks to the audience in the Garden

The skit itself is short, and would make a great read for Easter. IIt can be read through Amazon Prime for free. The book contains much more than just the play. The scene instructions for actors include details about the real people we read about in the Bible.

Do Angels Sing?

A consistent theme of the Christmas story is the appearance of Angels to people. The story begins with an Angel who comes to Abraham on Mount Moriah and tells him, “through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed.” (Ge. 22:18, repeating the promise given by God in Ge. 12:3) The Angel also visits Zechariah (Luke 1), Mary (Luke 2), Joseph (Matthew 1), and shepherds in the fields outside Bethlehem (Luke 2). These Angels are a major part of the Christmas story; they bring the good news and promises of God to earth.

This week in Advent Journeys we are experiencing Christmas through the journal of a shepherd. In Saturday’s journal this shepherd wrote how “an angel of the Lord appeared … and the glory of the Lord shone around them.” The angel said to the shepherd and his co-workers, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Then the Bible tells us, “a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’”

There are many who tell us that Angels do not sing, because the Greek word used for the communication of the Angels in this passage is λέγω (legō), which means “to say or to speak.” The dictionary also tells us this word covers every kind of speaking: to bid, boast, call, describe, name, tell, utter. When this word is used in scripture (and in other places) most often it describes someone speaking or talking. But in a wider sense, this word conveys communication. What many ignore is that singing is a form of communication.

The truth which many scholars (who study this passage in a very narrow way) miss is that when multitudes of angels come together in communication it is most often through the medium of singing. The pattern of speaking which we see in this passage is a basis for the way we worship. Mary led Israel to worship through singing in Exodus 15. They continued singing as they traveled in the wilderness (Numbers 21:17) and as they settled in the land of Israel (1 Chronicles 6:31). God commanded Moses (Dt. 31:19), David (1 Chronicles 15:8) and others to write music.

The Bible tells us of the true songs of pure worship which are sung in heaven. These include ‘a new song’ which is sung in Revelation 5:9-10 “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” The angels also sang the new song of Moses, ““Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the nations. Who will not fear you, Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” (Revelation 15:3-4)

The song of the angels to shepherds in fields outside of Bethlehem was a vibrant means of communication. “Fear not,” should explain to us we should fear neither hearing, speaking or singing the message of God. “Behold, I bring you Good News of Great Joy,” gives an example of how we should communicate the Gospel (good news) to those who have not heard. “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” gives us the example that all of our music should be pointed to God (and not to we ourselves). This song also teaches (as does the song previously mentioned from Revelation 5) that as a result of our worship (and like the shepherds who “spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child”) we should “be a kingdom and priests to serve our God.”

The Apostle Paul tells us to be like the angels, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts” (Colossians 3:15-16). Never let anyone tell you not to sing the joyous message of Christ, especially at Christmas!

Shepherds of Greatness

This week in the devotional Advent Journeys we move to the fields outside Bethlehem. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live as a shepherd? There is more to the life than just following sheep. Take a look at the devotions this week, you can explore for free if you are an Amazon Prime member. I think you will enjoy the adventures of the Shepherds.

The Bible has a lot to say about shepherds. The first shepherd in the Bible (and we can assume the man who domesticated sheep) was Abel. His work, his heart of faith, and his offering pleased God. God’s love for Abel was seen by all (but there were not many people in the world at that time), and was displeasing to Abel’s brother Cain.

The Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Jacob’s sons were all shepherds. They developed large flocks, enjoyed great prosperity and developed quite a reputation as businessmen. Some of their neighbors were not too keen on their success. The Philistines stopped up their wells and attempted to get them to move, but God protected the Hebrew people.

Moses took up shepherding at the age of forty after a tragedy made a move necessary to sof ha’olam smola (סוף העולם שמאלה). Moses possibly learned the basics of shepherding through leadership training in Egypt in the school of Pharaoh. On the back side of the desert Moses met his wife, saw a burning bush and received his call to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt. (Who ever said Shepherding is boring?)

In an opposite way a shepherd boy named David received training to become King of all Israel through his leadership of sheep. (I wonder if there is a similarity between dumb sheep and a nation full of people). David learned bravery through protecting his sheep. He learned to sing and compose music either through necessity because of the vastness and emptiness of the Judean wilderness or through the constant bleating of the sheep. The solitude of the desert also taught David to worship God.

Shepherds are a unique group of people who carry a huge responsibility. This week we will join the shepherds as they live out their responsibilities and carry out their duties. Please, join the reading!

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Angelic Messages

“Behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them.” (Luke 2:9) Today, in the book Advent Journeys we talk about angels, angels who came and made an announcement to the shepherds.  For this Blog, I decided to start with a questionnaire to see how much you know about angels.

1. What is the translation for the word “angel”?
2. Where is the first use of the word angel in the Bible?
3. Who are the two named angels of the Bible?
4. What is the name of the angel who told Daniel the meaning of the 70 weeks?
5. What is the name of the angel who spoke to Zechariah, father of John the Baptist?
6. What is the name of the angel who spoke to Mary telling her she was pregnant?
7. What angel spoke to Joseph concerning the birth of Jesus and the anger of Herod?
8. What was the message spoken by the first angel which appeared to the shepherds?
9. What message was spoken by the multitudes of angels to the shepherds?
10. What do angels tell us about Christmas?

Here are the answers to the above questions:

1. The words מַלְאָךְ (mal'ak - Hebrew) and ἄγγελος (aggelos - Greek) mean “messenger.”  Angels serve God and do His bidding.  One of the areas of service is to bear messages.
2. The first use of the word מַלְאָךְ is found in Genesis 16:7, telling Hagar to go back to Sarah.  Some people see the angels gathering with God in Genesis 1:26, which says, “Let us make man in our own image...”  In Midrash Rabbah Rabbi Yochanan taught angels were created on the second day with the heavens (Psalm 104:3-4), but Rabbi Chanina argues it was the fifth day when God made the winged creatures.  Another early reference to angels is found in the first chapter of Job.
3. Gabriel (warrior of God) and Michael (who is like God).  There is also the mysterious “man clothed in linen”
4. Gabriel
5. Gabriel
6. Gabriel
7. This angel is identified as “the angel of the Lord”  … possibly Gabriel
8. “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10-12)
9. “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:14)
10. The angels tell us Christmas is about Christ.  They are looking to Christ in Luke 2:14; and also in Psalm 103:21; 148:2; Mt 18:10; 25:31; Luke 15:10; Hebrews 1:6; 12:22; Revelation 5:11-147:11

The angels worship God and serve Him.  There are many wonderful passages about angels in the scripture.  There are also some not so wonderful passages: such as Ezekiel 28, which displays what happens when we place the focus on ourselves rather than heaven.

May this Christmas be for you, as it was for the angels of Heaven, who, when the great news was shared, said, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:14)

Heaven

     Have you ever wondered what Heaven will be like? In real life sometimes we can catch glimpses of Heaven through the words of the dying, who see through the valley of the shadow of death, and tell us the things they have seen. A few people have come back from near death experiences and describe the things they have seen. More profound, Jesus tells us about heaven, and shares his credentials as the one who came down from heaven. (John 3:13; 6:38; 8:58)
     Throughout the Bible details are shared of what Heaven will be like. Some of these are simple, and show the real life going on in Heaven (Zech 8:3-6). Other scenes are more lofty and tell of the beauty of heaven (Revelation 21). The Bible says those who believe will go to heaven, while the ones who choose to fight God will suffer punishment.
     I have heard many who describe heaven as a place where we receive our angel wings and spend the day playing harps. But through this statement, people miss the things the Bible teaches about heaven. When we get to heaven and lie down in green pastures, life does not stop. Our life continues. God will show us things we could not understand on earth. We will enjoy great times of worship before the throne of God in heaven. And we will get to hang out with friends, new and old. Life will go on, but life will be much better than what is experienced here on earth.
     When I studied for and wrote chapter 9 of Spring: Connecting with God (Kindle), I found a unique picture of heaven in Psalm 23. I invite you to order and read this book. And through the book, I hope you will see how much God loves us and calls us to enjoy the life He has offered both here and in heaven.