Category Archives: Angels and Heaven
4. The Harmony of Heaven
By John Thiel, Learning the Lessons of Unity in Christ Conference, Study 4, mp3
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 6:1-3 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, [is] the LORD of hosts: the whole earth [is] full of his glory. Read the rest of this entry
The Biblical Description of the Heavenly Country
By John Thiel, mp3
We are here to seek encouragement from the Lord, we seek His Word for therein lies the encouragement. Human beings in their learning of the Lord often fall short but the Word of God is sure, we can place our total dependence on that and we want to build our faith upon that which is written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, not that which is interpreted by fanciful theories of the scriptures. There are some wonderful fanciful things that people do become absorbed in and the subject we want to study here is this wonderful picture of the heavenly country. But we want to get it straight; we don’t want to live in a false hope, so we rely on the word of God once again. Read the rest of this entry
Angels from the Realms of Glory
There are many texts in the Bible which speak of God’s watch care over His children and of angel deliverances as well. There are recordings in the Old Testament of angels appearing in the form of men, to help and deliver God’s people. That must not only apply to Old Testament times, because we are instructed to;
“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” Hebrews 13:2
“In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and He heard me.” Psalm 120:1
“I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and He heard me.” Psalm 3:4
“Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses.” Psalm 107:6
“Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.” Psalm 50:15
“He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.” Job 5:19
“The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.” Psalm 34:7
“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” Hebrews 13:2
“Do not neglect to show kindness to strangers; for, in this way, some, without knowing it, have had angels as their guests.” Hebrews 13:2 – Weymouth
“Are they [the angels] not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” Hebrews 1:14
“When His people shall be in the greatest danger, God will work in their behalf. Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity.” Selected Messages Book 2 373
“But the LORD is the true God, He is the living God, and an everlasting King.” Jeremiah 10:10
“That the Almighty does make use of human agencies, and directly intervenes in human affairs, is one of the plainest statements of the Bible. I have had so many evidences of this, so many instances of being ordered by some supernatural power, that I cannot doubt this power is of God.” President Abraham Lincoln
“OUR HEAVENLY FATHER HAS A THOUSAND WAYS TO PROVIDE FOR US OF WHICH WE KNOW NOTHING. Those who accept the one principle of making the service of God supreme, will find perplexities vanish, and a plain path before their feet.” Series B, No 19, p 4 Read the rest of this entry
Heaven’s Chain of Command
By John Thiel
Daniel 8:16 And I heard a man’s voice between [the banks of] Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this [man] to understand the vision. 17 So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end [shall be] the vision.
We are preparing for the heavenly Canaan. We want to appreciate what it will be like to participate in the functions and governmental aspects of heaven. Psalms contains an arrival of Jesus with his people in the heavenly expanse. Read the rest of this entry
A Little Heaven on Earth
By John Thiel
Proverbs 18:24 A man [that hath] friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend [that] sticketh closer than a brother.
We are a church that is aspiring to be finally God’s triumphant people. We are a people who wish to prepare for the soon coming of Jesus Christ and to be prepared to enter the heavenly Canaan. We have researched what is our occupation to prepare for heaven. Over the next three studies we will be looking into more detail in reference to a little heaven on earth before we even get there.
If we would see heaven, we must have heaven below. We must have a heaven to go to heaven in. {ST, July 31, 1893 par. 3}
Heaven begins in the soul, {ST, July 31, 1893 par. 2}
Is heaven in your heart? May the Lord help us where to submit to heavens message to us. Heaven is more than a beautiful scenic place. It is more than a place where there is no death, it is more than a place where there is eternal youth and life. Where there is a beautiful city, it is more than this. Jesus sighted what heaven is.
John 17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. Read the rest of this entry
Do You Faint for the Courts of the Lord?
By John Thiel
Psalms 84:1 To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. How amiable [are] thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! 2 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.
Who is the person that speaks like that? What kind of person utters such words?
Psalms 84:3 Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, [even] thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God. 4 Blessed [are] they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah. 5 Blessed [is] the man whose strength [is] in thee; in whose heart [are] the ways [of them].
In whose hearts are thy ways. Who are the people who speak the words of verse 2? Who says things like that? The man whose strength is in the court. It is only a true spiritual person who expresses these kinds of sentiments. That he longs to be in the courts of the Lord. He cries out in agony, he faints even. Is this the case with you? I am spending this year in this meditation in the preparation to be in those courts. As we delve deeper into these things it’s going to test us whether we want to be there or not with all the preparation we require. If our strength is in the Lord and our hearts are after his ways then we will do everything that is needed to be in those courts.
Psalms 27:1 The LORD [is] my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD [is] the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalms 27:4 One [thing] have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple. Read the rest of this entry
Practising the Attitudes of Heavenly Society
By John Thiel
Psalm 103:20 Bless the LORD, ye angels, that excel in strength, that do commandments, hearkening unto the voice of word. 21 Bless ye the LORD, all [ye] his hosts; [ye] ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
To be in the Holy City living in the society of heaven is for us to consider so that we might know what to prepare for it. We are to be preparing to be in that society and the attitudes that society has. We had established in our last study that the foremost principle in preparation is to embrace the attitude that the society of heaven has towards sinners. Read the rest of this entry
The Nature of the Angels
By John Thiel
This extension of heaven for making us citizens with them is such inspiration we want to absorb. It is a preparation here in our fellowship that is taking place so that we may get to heaven one day and not criticise the angels. If we haven’t learnt here to be meek and loving as the angels are, we will be like that there and it will make heaven unpleasant. What should our communications be here so as not to be critical there? We are to appreciate the nature of the angels and the condition and communication we will have with each other as we look to them.
No unpleasant words are spoken in heaven. There no unkind thoughts are cherished. There envy, evil surmising, hatred, and strife find no place. Perfect harmony pervades the heavenly courts. {UL 163.3}
If we are going to have a place there, where are we going to have it first? We are going to have it amongst us as believers who are going to be there. Read the rest of this entry
Angels, Ministers of Our Salvation
By John Thiel, mp3
We are to sanctify ourselves before we can cross the river Jordan otherwise known as the time of trouble. The work our high priest is chronicled in reference to our preparation. We are to prepare not only to cross the river but so we can be introduced into the society of heaven.
Zechariah 3:1 And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. 2 And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: [is] not this a brand plucked out of the fire? 3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. 4 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. 5 And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by. 6 And the angel of the LORD protested unto Joshua, saying, 7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.
In this vision is portrayed to us the preparation that is needed and it is depicted in the picture of the high priest who is standing before his people and he himself is the representation of what the people are like. They are in need of having their character changed, their garments changed, their guilt to be taken away from them. I have caused their iniquity to be taken away. God causes things to happen. Read the rest of this entry
Life in the Society of Heaven
By John Thiel
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
Hebrews 11:16 But now they desire a better [country], that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Will you go to that blessed land above? The place of pure and holy angels, the society of heaven. Will you be there? The society of heaven is also depicted as the promised land Canaan that the children of Israel travelled towards. In the Hebrew journey as they came from Egypt to the Promised Land we learnt that this is figurative of us traveling on this planet to the heavenly Canaan. I’m sure you can see we are now at the figurative Jordan. As they came to the Jordan ready to cross into the promised land. Are we there are we not? We are soon as a church to cross over. What does a figure of the children of Israel crossing over the Jordan river teach us regarding the Israel of God today? Read the rest of this entry
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