Giants On Earth In Those Days (Sermon)

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COJCOM · 2-22-2025 ── Giants On Earth In Those Days!

Greetings again Brethren, Friends, and Co-Workers around the world. Welcome our friends in Altoona, Iowa; Prineville, Oregon; Forest City, North Carolina; and even Johannesburg, South Africa! Welcome. This is Leonard V Johnson with the Word of God, the Truth of God, and helping in understanding the LORD our God’s ultimate Plan for the redemption of all mankind!

       The last few weeks we’ve been talking about angels. About cherubims, seraphims, and angels – messengers, and agents for our LORD God, the family of God ── which now consists of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.

       And the subject we’re going to talk about today is a subject that a great many people around the world appear to believe in ── falsely I might add. And, I briefly mentioned in the last message to you, that I have in my library a series of fictional books entitled “Earth Chronicles” by author Zachariah Sitchin. I had a friend back in the mid-90s ── who has since died ── who wanted me to read this series of books. And, I believe he took them to be what the back cover of the first book called, “a revolutionary body of work that offers indisputable documentary proof of humanity’s extraterrestrial forefathers.” Yet, IT CERTAINLY IS NOT! They are simply an author’s fanciful imagination of what God’s living word calls “There were giants on earth in those days.” And a person who mixed ancient Sumerian, Babylonian, Assyrian, Hittite, Canaanite, and other ancient texts and intertwined them with God’s living word regarding the Nephilim ── or what this author called “visitors to Earth from the heavens.” If you have a chance to ever read them, go ahead, he designed it as though it’s a sci-fi story! Because it is! So, we brought up the subject of Genesis chapter 6 in the previous message. And, I want to ask ── did fallen angels have sexual relations with the daughters of men and marry them?

       When you search on the Internet for this subject matter, a whole plethora of websites and online articles are devoted to the belief that Satan the Devil had sexual relations with Eve and that Eve gave birth to Cain – whom they call “the Serpent’s Seed.” Just outright blasphemous teachings, ideals, and ideas that are being taught around the world!

       Turning to the Book of Genesis, the 6th chapter we read ──

       “Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2) that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.” – Genesis 6:1-2.

       I’ll get to answering the question ── who are the daughters of men? ── in a moment, but first, it says a little further down, “there were giants on earth in those days.” The assumption is that, and sadly a great many people believe and teach, that these were fallen angels ── these “sons of God.” And that they had sexual relations and married the daughters of men, and the result was children that became giants.

       Continuing here ──

       “And the LORD said, ‘My Spirit shall not strive [or rather, abide] with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.’” – vs. 3.

       Now, there has also been much confusion regarding this verse as well. What is meant, “one hundred and twenty years”? Well, it’s not the length of years a man of that era was to live, it’s referring to how long patriarch Noah had to build the Ark. So, the LORD God’s reference here to 120 years was a countdown until the Great Flood.

       “There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.” – vs 4.

       Now were these “men of renown” those “giants on earth in those days”? Were they the children of the sexual relations between the fallen angels and the daughters of men? Let us settle those questions right here and now! Sadly, also as well ── I also had another friend, the very one who had been one of the youngest ordained ministers with the Open Bible Church organization at one time, fall into this false doctrine of “the Serpent’s Seed.” A person who was ignorant of a great deal of what God’s living word truly says.

       We’ve been going through the Book of Hebrews, beginning in chapter 1. And the fact that our Lord Jesus Christ is now “sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels.” And of “how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at first began to be spoken by the Lord” Jesus! So, we’ve been delving into the subject of cherubims, seraphim, and angels. Are there any angels? Are they but superstitions? Are they simply mythology?

       Again, you more than likely never saw what a cherubim, seraphim, or an angel actually look like. God’s living word ── the Holy Bible ── speaks a great deal about them. And many of you watching or listening have never heard a great deal about them. Yet, you find that God’s living word does indeed speak concerning them.

       We’re going over ── What Are Angels? Why Are Angels? What is their purpose? What is it that they do? What are they actually like? What are they made of? All of these things ── some of which we’ve already covered. All of which I would like to answer for you ── from God’s living word.

What Is Meant “Sons of God”?

Again, there are a lot of people who believe, teach, and preach, that those sons of God were fallen angels. Well, let’s study this more thoroughly. First ── if a man or a woman has received the glorious gift, and is led by, the Spirit of God, as you read in the Book of Romans chapter 8, verse 14 ── we are considered “sons of God.” There are many Scriptures in the New Testament that explain that a person is not a begotten son of God (and I’m using the word “son” here – normally I use the word “child” from the Greek word υἱός. Does not become a begotten son of God until the time when he has properly repented, been properly baptized, and had hands laid upon him receiving the glorious gift of God’s Spirit, been truly reconciled to God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ, by the blood of our Lord Jesus, by the death of our Lord Jesus, and by the glorious resurrection unto life of our Lord Jesus.

       Indeed, my Brethren, Friends, and Co-Workers in Christ, there are several Scriptures in the New Testament of God’s living word where there were regular ── carnal minded ── men and women who were very important people within this present evil age, they were very upstanding and fine men and women, i.e. Joseph of Arimathea. But, unless they have within them the glorious Spirit of God, they are none of His. And, we see this in the Book of Romans, the 8th chapter. Notice verse 9 – “ … Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” This means, that if you do not have the glorious Spirit of God within you ── you are not a true Christian. And, I don’t mean to offend you in any way ── this is simply what God’s living word says.

       Also, additionally ── and you might remember that I spoke of this in 2023 in a Letter to our Friends ── the ”sons of God” in Genesis 6:2 are the descendants of Adam from his son Seth. Also, the “daughters of men” were the descendants of Cain.

       The Jamieson Fausset and Brown write, “Mixed marriages between parties of opposite principles and practice were necessarily sources of extensive corruption. The women irreligious themselves, would as wives and mothers exert an influence FATAL to the existence of religion [the very religion of the LORD God] in their household, and consequently the people of that later age sank to the lowest depravity” 1

       A Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament I have in my library also speaks of this ── “The ‘sons of God’ (Elohim) mentioned in Gen. 6 … more likely the godly line of Seth.” 2

       And yet again, additionally ── all of mankind is considered “sons of God” in the sense that we are creations of one Father as we find in the Book of Malachi chapter 2, verse 10 – “Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? …” Notice also, Luke chapter 3:38 ── going through the genealogy of the son of Joseph (our Lord Jesus Christ) ── going all the way to “ … the son of Seth, the son of Adam, …” And Adam being “the son of God.” And of course, Adam was a son of God only in the fact that the Lord GOD created him, but NOT IN ANY OTHER WAY! We are all naturally born sons of Adam. But, when you are begotten of the LORD God through our Lord Jesus Christ by conversion, you become ── spiritually speaking ── a son of Abraham, as well as a child of God, One of the very children of Abraham.

       Another point on this topic here, “sons of God,” turn in your Bible to the Book of Job chapter 38 ──

       “When the morning stars [meaning, angels] sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?” vs. 7.

       Again, spoken of earlier, the “godly line of Seth.” And you will notice that the children from Seth’s righteous lineage began to call upon the LORD God; cf. Genesis 4:26.

       Returning again to the Book of Genesis chapter 6, we can now better understand what our LORD God is speaking ──

       Verse 2 the antediluvian period or pre-flood period ── “ … the sons of God [the righteous lineage of Seth] saw the daughters of men [descendants of unrighteous Cain. By marrying these women, the sons of righteous Seth turned from God, leading the LORD God to say that the entire world was then corrupt] that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.”

        

Angels Are of Lower Rank

So, even though cherubims, seraphim, and angels were created by the LORD God, again, where at any place, any time, and to which of the angels did Father God say: ‘You are My Son, …?’ Nowhere! So, this truly means that Job 38:7 is speaking not of angels, but of the righteous lineage of Seth, beginning with his son Enosh.

       No, our Eternal Master and Creator, the LORD God, never said, ‘You are My Son,’ to any cherubim, seraphim, or angel. They are not begotten sons or daughters of God. They are often called “stars” in God’s living word – cf. Job 38:7; Revelation 6:13.

       Turning again to the Book of Hebrews chapter 1 ── we read this also, I believe, in last week’s message to you ──

       “ …’ And again: ‘I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son’? …’”

       In other words, this is back from another passage – I believe the Book of Psalm 2:7. Speaking of our Lord Jesus of Nazareth. Our Messiah!

       Verse 6 – “But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: ‘Let all the angels of God worship Him.’” – Hebrews 1:6.

       Now, our Lord Jesus Christ was made a little lower than angels when He was a human being ── but, of course, He had always been higher than any angel, as He is now in His glory, as the One and Only resurrected Savior in His glorified state!

       Verse 7 – “And of the angels He says …”

       Including cherubim’s, seraphim’s, and all angels.

       “ … ‘Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire.’”

       The vital key word here ── “makes” ── meaning, He created His angels. And, as we learned in the first of this series of messages, they are created out of spirit. They are spirits. Yet, not one place in all of God’s living word will you find that man is a spirit. Now, in the Book of Job chapter 32, we are told that “there is a spirit in man,” but …. I don’t want to cover this but briefly here …

This human spirit enters the human embryo at conception. The spirit is like the “hard drive on a computer” – it stores information. The spirit essence is NOT an immortal soul or an eternal spirit. The spirit in man is NOT the man. It is something in the man. It has no life of itself.

So, nowhere does God’s living word say that man is a spirit. But, angels are spirits. Mankind is mortal, “ … the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, …” (Genesis 2:7), “ … we have borne the image of the man of dust, …” (1 Corinthians 15:49). But, continuing in that same verse there in 1st Corinthians chapter 15, we can THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST “bear the image of the heavenly Man.”

       Verse 8 – “But to the Son He says: ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.’”

       And of course, He is worthy of worship of all the angels.

       Angels ── which include the different cherubims and seraphims ── are completely separate beings, creations. Again, they have never been considered “sons of God.”

An Ultimate Potential For All Of Mankind!

Yesterday I spent several hours watching documentaries on Voyager I and Voyager II. Watching what is known as “the Golden Record” that was included aboard the two Voyager spacecrafts launched in 1977. I have known of these two spacecrafts ever since I was eight years old. I remember watching on television the launch of the Titan III-Centaur lifting off for the heavens with bated breath ── even at eight years old! And, even though the LORD God had not yet touched my heart in calling me out of this present evil age ── my parents and my grandmother were trying their best to ‘train me up in the way that I should go so that when I was older I would not depart from it’ – Proverbs 22:6, paraphrased. I knew even at that young age ── almost instinctively ── that mankind has a most wonderful and glorious future potential. But it wasn’t until later that I would read and study the glorious words of our Creator – such as ──

       “’ But I am the LORD your God, Who divided the sea whose waves roared – The LORD of hosts [meaning, an army, divisions of angels] is His name. 16) And I have put My words in your mouth; I have covered you with the shadow of My hand, That I may plant the heavens, …’” – Isaiah 51:15, 16.

       Man was created and placed upon this planet Earth for a grand purpose! God [the Elohim; the family of God] is reproducing Themselves! Recall, “’ Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; …’” – Genesis 1:26. God has blessed mankind with a mind that is like God’s ── and, of course, man’s mind is a material mind that is very limited by comparison. God’s mind is spiritual, all-encompassing, perfect. Yet, our Lord Jesus Christ tells us that there will come a time when we shall be perfect, “’ just as your Father in heaven is perfect’” – Matthew 5:48. And a man can eventually become perfect if he would only yield and surrender his whole life to the LORD God. If mankind would come to realize and understand that they don’t need to waste money and resources sending probes out into deep space, or even to the outer heliopause, or interstellar space, or wherever these two probes might end up, looking for their creator, or their “extraterrestrial forefathers,” because what all mankind is truly and actually looking for isn’t far away. Our Lord God says, “’ … Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him? … Do I not fill heaven and earth?’ …” – Jeremiah 23:23-24. This is the very word of the Lord!

       The apostle Paul says in the Book of Acts chapter 17 ──

       “And He [the LORD God] has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings.”

       Why?

       Verse 27 – “So that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.” – Acts 17:26-27.

       Mankind is not complete in his creation. We NEED GOD! We NEED THE VERY MIND OF GOD – of HIS SPIRIT! We read in such passages as the Book of Philippians chapter 2 ──

       “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 2:5.

       And, as we’ve been teaching in messages for some time now, “CHRIST IN US!” the hope of glory! – Colossians 1:27.

       Turn also, if you will, to the Book of Galatians chapter 2 ──

       “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but CHRIST LIVES IN ME; and the life which I now live in the flesh I LIVE BY FAITH IN THE SON OF GOD, …” – Galatians 2:20.

       So, it’s not my faith in the Son of God ── a point that many people are confused about ── it’s not my faith in the Son of God, but the very faith OF the Son of God. As the Holy Bible In Its Original Order, the New English Translation properly translates it. “ … I live by faith ──that very faith of the Son of God, …” Which is placed within us! And that is the Way that you and I should be living.

       So, a true and real father-son relationship does not exist between God the Father and His mighty angels. And, for that matter, that kind of relationship doesn’t exist between any unconverted man or woman and God the Father. There are several passages within the New Testament of your Bible, that show us that an unconverted person is not a child of God. In the sense of a begotten child of God.

Who Were the Nephilim ── the “Giants”?

Returning once again to the Book of Genesis chapter 6. The prophet Moses also wrote, besides “the sons of God,” “the daughters of men,” which we just covered ── we come to, in verse 4 – “There were giants on earth in those days, …”

       The Hebrew word for “giants” is Nephilim, which simply means giants.

    Well, unlike the GOBBLEDYGOOK science fiction stories that are so plentiful ── even on supposedly legitimate documentary programs on television ── I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the truth from God’s living word! And, I hope you have your Bible handy, and you can open up your Bible right now and study this with me. The prophet Moses was inspired to write that long before the Great Flood occurred, there were giants that existed on the earth. “ … in those days, …” And then is added, “ … and also afterward, …” That was certainly placed there for a reason.

       So, “ … and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. …” Verse 4.

       Pay close attention to the fact that the giants were not the progeny of those sexual relations (which is what “came in to” means). It doesn’t say this! Sadly, a great many people have not been truly seeing with their eyes, or hearing with their ears here in Genesis chapter 6. Let’s go over it again – the first part, verse 4 – “There were giants on earth in those days, …” And then there is a comma.

       Then it interjects to say, “ … and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they [the daughters of men] bore children to them [meaning, the sons of God]. THOSE [the children of the sons of God] were mighty men who were of old, men of renown.”

       So, it’s like saying, there were giants that existed during the antediluvian period, and also AFTERWARD, “when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men …” And, we find this to be true with the likes of Anakim ── the descendants of Anak. Notice the Book of Joshua 15:13 that states “Arba was the forefather of Anak.” Their formidable appearance, as described by ten of the twelve spies sent to search the land, filled the Israelites with terror – reference Numbers 13:33.

       So, in Genesis chapter 6, here are the Nephilim.

       “There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, …” – Genesis 6:4.

       So, “and also” means, IN ADDITION. In addition to the fact that there were giants during the antediluvian period, “in those days,” also AFTERWARD there were giants ── or rather Nephilim on the Earth.

       So, also afterward ──

       “ … when the sons of God [referring to the descendants of righteous Seth] came in to the daughters of men [referring to the descendants of unrighteous Cain] and they bore children to them. [And these children became] … the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.” – Genesis 6:4.

       But again, God’s living word doesn’t say that these children were the progeny of the giants, but rather the progeny of the sons of God.

Ancient Giants

Now, this also may surprise some of you. But, the remains of giants have been found by geologists and archaeologists. Giants have been dug up out of the earth, and a lot of people view it as mythical, or fake. Here is one such example ──

Scientists still baffled from giant human skeletons up to 10 feet tall decades after initial discovery.

April 4, 2024.

A series of mysterious giant skeletons up to 10 feet tall reportedly discovered in and around Nevada caves last century — dubbed the “Giants of Lovelock” — are still baffling scientists decades later.

The claims about supersized humans who roamed the area around Lovelock, a remote town 90 miles northeast of Reno, thousands of years ago are rooted in Native America lore, which tells of fierce, redheaded, pale-skinned giants who arrived from Central America by boat and attacked local tribes. …

Radiocarbon dating later placed human bone fragments and plant material found in the cave between 2030 BC and 1218 BC. …

The remains reportedly measured at 8.5 and 10 feet, respectively, and were described as having red hair.

Here is another one ── and reports like this are plentiful from all around the world ──

The 4000-Year-Old “Longshan Giant” Discovered in Shaanxi Province, China.

Cambridge University Press: 18 July 2016.

A human skeleton of phenomenal size was uncovered during the excavation of a prehistoric site located in the city of Shangnan, Shaanxi province, China, in 2006. The skeleton dates to … the Longshan culture (4400–4000 yr ago). The skeletal characteristics point to a young male 16–18 yrs old with a height of (6½ feet).

Notice this from the National Library of Medicine from 2014 ──

Hereditary Gigantism-the biblical giant Goliath and his brothers

Giants have been around since time began; they are first described in the Bible in the book of Genesis … After the great Flood, giants remained present in the scriptural texts, … Giants lived together as a number of separate races, before and after the Flood. … For example, the Nephilim (Numbers 13:32-33), appear to be present before and after the flood. The Anakim ── the descendants of Anak. [Recall that I mentioned them earlier]. … As well as a people called Rephaim (Deuteronomy 2:10-11), and they existed AFTER the great Flood. … The Anakim seems to be derived from the Nephilim. The Rephaim although similar to the Nephilim, appear to be distinct from them with respect to family lineage.

Now, I’ll be sure to leave links to these articles I’ve mentioned here down below in the information section.

       So, Brethren, Friends, and Co-Workers in Christ, there have been a great many things discovered that many people have never heard about. Giants of ancient times have been discovered and their bones have been dug up. So the terrible accusations that God’s living word is untrustworthy is disproved!

       Now, absolutely, there is ── and there has been all through the generations of mankind ── superstitious religions. I’ve mentioned this before, I have in my library a book entitled “The Illustrated Golden Bough” by author Sir James George Frazer. It’s a book of the study in magic and religion. In the very introduction by Robert Temple, it states that Mr. Frazer is describing “man as progressing from a belief in magic as a means of controlling his environment to religious belief, which propagated gods and spirits.” And yes, a great many religions around the world is a religion of superstition. And if you even remotely believe that you are involved in one, you’d better “GET OUT” immediately! But, the LORD God’s true religion is not, and God’s living word is not.

       Still, in Genesis chapter 6 we see that the LORD ── the LORD God ── again, the family of God, with mercy, and sorry that He had made man on the earth, was grieved in His heart. And said, “’ I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air; for I am sorry that I have made them.’” – Genesis 6:6-7.

       And sadly, as you know, in biblical prophecy direct from our Lord Jesus Christ, His word says, “’ And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man.’” – Luke 17:26.

       Well, today, in this 21st century ── what they call the Doomsday Clock has officially been moved by scientists to signal how close we are to the end of the world. The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists has once again moved its iconic “Doomsday Clock” to just 89 seconds before midnight. This marks the closest humanity has ever been to theoretical annihilation in the clock's 78-year history!

       Our Lord Jesus Christ gave this prophecy some 1,992 years ago, “ … unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; …’” – Matthew 24:22.

       As it was in the days of the patriarch Noah, the LORD God did intervene! He saved eight people. It was the LORD God’s great mercy that allowed the great Flood to occur. And as a great many of us are aware of now ── there is massive evidence of a great Flood. It wiped out the men on earth who were perpetrating the “evil continually.” The LORD God saved a man and his family ── a man who was still walking with God, obeying God, and preaching of righteousness ── of keeping and obeying the LORD God’s holy commandments.

       Well, let’s end this message today here. We’ve got quite a few more messages to give on cherubims, seraphim, and angels. Next week, I’ll pick it back ── because there are still some wonderful and astonishing things I want to teach you regarding angels from God’s living word!

       So, until next time, this is Leonard V Johnson for the Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries. Goodbye for now. □

1 Jamieson, R., Fausset, A.R., Brown, D., Jamieson Fausset and Brown Commentary of the Whole Bible, Zondervan Publishing House, 1982, pp. 22.

2 Harris L. R., Archer, L. Gleason, Jr., and Waltke K. Bruce. Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, 1980, #254, pg. 114.

Angels Revealed

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COJCOM · 2-15-2025 ── Angels Revealed

What do angels, and you, have to do with each other? In our last sermon, I spoke concerning angels ── What Are Angels? I had mentioned that you probably have never seen an angel ── at least not what they actually look like. And I’ll get to that within this series. So, what are they? And, why are they?

       So, we’ve been going through God’s living word, because this subject of angels came up the other night for me in conversation with a friend. And I had asked him if he really wanted to know about angels. So, I took him to the Book of Ezekiel chapter 1 and began reading about the great beings that the prophet Ezekiel saw in the sky. That from within “a whirlwind was coming out … the likeness of four living creatures.” It was not, as I had mentioned to him, an Unidentifiable Flying Object (UFO)! And. It’s truly something that, either we believe the revelation of God’s living word, we believe that the Holy Bible is the divine revelation of knowledge from the Creator of the universe, the Eternal God ── and not just, as many more people are believing, Yahweh (as the Leftist-Wikipedia has in their article, “the ancient Levantine deity”) ── the very One who knows the end from the beginning, the very One who reveals some things to mankind that otherwise we could never know or properly understand. The knowledge that is completely otherwise inaccessible.

       Truly, we either believe that God’s living word is inspired writing, or we are nothing more than being deceived by some THREE THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED-YEAR-OLD HOAX! Because there is no other way to know the truth concerning angels.

       Within this series, I want to go through this subject to some extent. It’s an important subject. Because you’ve certainly heard about angels, but not too many people go into depth explaining about them ── from the perspective of God’s living word. Now, I have no doubt that if you’ve listened to Sunday morning televangelists you’ve heard some message about angels. But have you ever heard messages expounding and explaining What Are Angels? Why Are Angels? Where They Came From? How They Came To Be?

       Toward the end of our last sermon, I spoke of the fact that the LORD God’s angels are happy and joyous. And they are pictured as truly glorifying the LORD God ── the LORD God being the family of God; which at this time consists of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Full of faith, and shouting praises to the LORD God ── as I do often in my prayers to the LORD God, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was, and is and is to come! Glory be Your Name!” I, like them, am a servant of our LORD God.

       So, once again, both the Hebrew and the Greek words for “angel” translate as meaning “messenger,” or “agent.” And the LORD God’s angels are a part of the glorious government of God – meaning, the kingdom of God. Truly, God Most High, the Ancient of Days, rules His kingdom from the highest of heavens. In God’s living word it’s known as the Third Heaven. See: 2 Corinthians 12:1-2. The Lord our God (now known as our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of all mankind) created all energy, force, and every power. The LORD God (the family of God) sustains this known universe with power.

       And the Third Heaven is the actual headquarters of the LORD God’s angels, and they can be dispatched from there. Angels are spirits ── they are not bound by any physical objects. And, each and every angel is a separate created being. And, I want to go into this here ── there are different classifications of angels. In God’s living word, cherubim are referenced some 69 separate times ── they are uniquely different from angels and seraphim. The Bible mentions three distinctly different types of cherubim. The four Living Creatures mentioned in the Book of Ezekiel are a very different kind of cherubim. They are usually in pairs except when they are physically with Almighty God. Cherubim (plural for cherub), as the prophet Ezekiel wrote, “appear to have the form of a man’s hand under their wings” – Ezekiel 10:8. Cherubim sometimes has two, four, or six wings. Seraphim has six wings. Angels (messengers) do not have wings, yet they can fly. They can appear and disappear very suddenly. They are all part of God’s heavenly hosts and all stand before the LORD God – the Creator of the universe! Be sure to go and read or listen to our article, “Revelation ── A Book of the Past and the Future Part III” where we go into even more detail concerning the four living Creatures.

       But, each is a separate being. Angels DO NOT have sexual intercourse. They are neither male nor female. They DO NOT reproduce. They are completely invisible to human eyes unless manifested for a specific reason. And ── and I will continue to teach this until it is divinely revealed to me differently ── cherubims, seraphims, and angels are IMMORTAL. And they have knowledge, understanding, and power far beyond that of mere mortal man.

       In the last sermon we were reading a part of the Book of Hebrews, let’s turn back there again. I want to review with you a few other verses of the first chapter of Hebrews. The very first is talking about God, and how He has revealed knowledge to us through the prophets, and then ──

       “In these last days [certainly meaning the last days when the apostle Paul was writing some 1,955 years ago!] spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things …”

       So, our Lord Jesus Christ is only an heir at this time. He hasn’t actually officially received ownership yet – See: Daniel 7:13-14. We believe this is still a future event that will take place just before His Millennium Reign.

       “ … through whom also He made the worlds; 3) who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, …”

       Speaking of our Lord Jesus Christ, because “’ all authority has been given to [Him] in heaven and on earth’” – Matthew 28:18.

       “ … 4) having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.” – Hebrews 1:1-4.

       So, our Lord Jesus is higher than angels in authority. And then, verse 6, “ …’ Let all the angels of God worship Him.’”

       So, truly, He is God. And every cherubim, seraphim, and angel worships Him.

A Little Lower Than the Angels

Hebrews chapter 2, verse 7 was originally speaking concerning mankind (Psalm 8:4-6), but here the apostle Paul is referencing it to our Lord Jesus Christ, there are other Scriptures which do reference this as well ──

       “’ You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor.’” – Hebrews 2:7.

       So, born of the virgin Mary, and now by the glorious resurrection from the dead ──

       “ … we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.” – Hebrews 2:9.

       Exalted into the highest of positions in the known universe, has been given ‘all authority’ in heaven and on earth ── who is God, as well as the Father is God. And here we see the God family – the Father and the Son.

       Now, notice this here ──

       “For to which of the angels did He [God the Father] ever say: ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You’?” – Hebrews 1:5.

       So, God the Father has NEVER said that about any cherubim, seraphim, or angel. They were created as servants to the LORD God. They are spirit beings. And, again, they are immortal.

       And, I am going to say something here that is considered heretical by many so-called Christian organizations ── and as I’ve said before, “As presumptuous or blasphemous as this may sound, your Bible reveals to us that we were born to ultimately help rule the LORD God’s vast known universe.” We are the co-heirs of Christ – cf. Romans 8:7.

       Verse 8 – “But to the Son He says: ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.”

       Also notice, still speaking about our Lord Jesus Christ ──

       Verse 10 – “And; ‘You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands.’” 

       Verse 13 – “But to which of the angels has He [God the Father] ever said: ‘Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool’?”

       God the Father has never given cherubims, seraphims, or angels that preeminence that has come to our Lord Jesus Christ.

       Continuing ──

       Verse 14 – “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?”

Do Not Neglect So Great A Salvation

Again, what do angels and you have to do with each other? Well, a great deal if you are predestined. Let’s get to that.

       Angels are higher than we, they know a great deal more than we, yet they have been sent to minister to us as servants. Why? Notice ──

       Continuing into Chapter 2 of the Book of Hebrews.

       “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. 2) For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, 3) how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, …” – Hebrews 2:1-3.

       Now, we are told within God’s living word that a third of the LORD God’s angels followed Lucifer (who is now known as Satan the Adversary), they are now known as demons. The apostle Paul asks us here, “How shall we escape?”

       And sadly, my dear friends who are watching or listening, this truly is a question you need to take seriously! “How shall you escape?” Those demons chose not to escape. And it’s not that you are deliberately rejecting the Lord God’s gospel message, or rejecting the offer of salvation, or that you are purposefully rebelling against the LORD God ── you’re just neglecting it. You allow other things to come first in your lives. And, I highly suggested, dear friends, that you begin to sit a little straighter in your chair, perk up your ears, and listen to what the Spirit has to say.

       Notice verse 5 – “For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels.”

       The LORD God never had any intention of putting the kingdom of God under the subjection of angels. The LORD God truly had – and has – a Master Plan from the very beginning!

       Verse 6 – “But one testified in a certain place, saying: ‘What is man …?”

       So, WHAT IS MAN?

       I truly believe every one of us ── at one time or another in our life ── has asked that question. What is man? And I’m not speaking of what a man is made of. But rather, why is mankind here on this planet Earth? What good is man being on this planet earth?

       King David originally asked the LORD God, “What is man that You are mindful of him, …?”

       Besides the utterly ridiculous and fanciful series of books by Zechariah Sitchin entitled, “Earth Chronicles” involving the Nephilim, in which beings of fiery rockets came down and had sexual relations with women. And, I’ll get more into this within the following sermon, WHY SHOULD THE CREATOR OF THE KNOWN UNIVERSE BE MINDFUL OF MAN? Because ── truly ── and I know a great many of us have now seen this famous photo, called The Pale Blue Dot. A photograph of the planet Earth taken by the Voyager 1 space probe from an unprecedented distance of approximately 3.7 billion miles away! Again, in the vastness of the cosmos, we are minuscule.

       When a camera looking back at Earth is taking a series of photographs, human beings cannot be seen with the naked eye! NOTHING ON THIS PLANET CAN BE SEEN WITH THE NAKED EYE! Earth appears as a tiny dot within deep space! How can we be significant to the Creator of the universe?

       And then when you consider that the known universe has been guesstimated at some 93 billion light-years in diameter, and our closest neighboring galaxy ── the Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy, about 42,000 light years from our galactic center, and even up some 220 miles above the surface of the Earth, human beings CANNOT BE SEEN WITH THE NAKED EYE! Again, minuscule.

       And, to know that the LORD God created all the galaxies, planets, suns ── the whole of the known universe. God created all things through Jesus Christ! But why should the LORD God be mindful of man?

       “ … Or the son of man that You take care of him?”

       Referencing our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord Jesus took care of us. He was the pioneer of our salvation. But, what is that salvation? WHY SHOULD THE LORD GOD BE MINDFUL OF US?

       Well, continuing, we come to an amazing and glorious revealed truth ── that sadly so many Sunday-going churches have completely overlooked!

Mankind’s Ultimate Potential

Verse 7 – “’ You have made him [speaking of mankind] a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him [again, speaking of mankind; and our Lord Jesus was a man, also at that time lower than the angels] with glory and honor, And set him [speaking of mankind] over the works of Your hands.’”

       So, the LORD God set mankind over the works of Their hands!

       “’ You have put all things in subjection under his [speaking of mankind] feet.’”

       So, understand. This is not just talking about mankind ── this is also talking about our Lord Jesus Christ! This is talking about you, and this is talking about me ── talking concerning our ultimate potential. This is talking about what we can become. Talking about those who do receive the gift of salvation, who do not neglect so great a salvation.

       The LORD God ── the family of God ── has put all things in subjection under our feet. Yet, continuing ──

       Verse 8 – “ … For in that He put all in subjection under him [speaking of mankind], He left NOTHING that is not put under him. …”

       This is a fairly broad statement. But, actually right now, our Lord Jesus Christ has said, “’ all authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.’” All things are under His authority. He has all power ── yet, some things have not been completely conquered as yet, as far as our Lord Jesus Christ. But, in general, this is speaking primarily of mankind.

Firstborn Among Many Brethren

But, what is it that we see now?

       Notice verse 9 of Hebrews chapter 2 once again ── “ … we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels [So, our Lord Jesus was made a little lower than the angels], for the suffering of death …”

       So, our Lord Jesus was mortal, so He could die ── and He did indeed die, as He says Himself, reference Revelation 1:18 ── now, cherubims, seraphims, and angels cannot die. So, He had to be made lower than angels to die].

       And now, “we see Jesus, … crowned with glory and honor, …”

       He was given ‘all authority’ and all power. And this is what He looks like in His glory and honor – He is clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair are white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes are like a flame of fire; His feet are like fine brass as if refined in a furnace. This is how He appears today in His glory, in His honor!

       “ … crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.”

       Verse 10 – “For it was fitting for Him [our Lord Jesus Christ], for whom are all things and by whom are all things [because God the Father created all things THROUGH AND BY OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST!], in bringing many [children] to glory, …”

       No cherub, seraphim, or angel is His son. They are but created beings. Our Lord Jesus Christ was not created. Notice, staying here in the Book of Hebrews, chapter 7, beginning in verse 3 ── speaking here of the ‘king of peace,’ the ‘priest of the Most High God,’ Melchizedek ──

       Who was “without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God.” In other words, He was our Lord Jesus before He became Jesus.

       So, our Lord Jesus was the firstborn among many brethren. And, you and I can be a part of those brethren, if we wake up and take seriously just what the Spirit is saying to you this day!

       Continuing here ── “ … in bringing many children to glory, to make THE CAPTAIN OF THEIR SALVATION perfect through sufferings.”

       And, Brethren, Friends, and Co-Workers in Christ ── we and everyone have their own order in this (reference 1 Corinthians 15:23), are to be brought into that great and awesome estate as Sons and Daughters of God, in the glorious family of God, the very kingdom of God! Can your mind fathom what a most glorious and wonderous thing that is!? As our beloved apostle Paul writes, “’ Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’”! What a GRANDEST THING SALVATION IS! We will be God! We will have a face that will shine like the brightness of the sun in its full strength, we will have eyes that shine like the flames of a fire. And all things will be put under our feet!

       Now, of course, this hasn’t happened yet! But what a marvelous destiny we have, brethren! That’s how great salvation is! So, it’s no wonder that the apostle Paul wrote ── under divine inspiration ── and again, the apostle Paul believed our Lord Jesus Christ when he was taught by Him personally for about three years in the Arabian desert! “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation.”

Ministering Spirits

Why are cherubims, seraphims, and angels our servants? And they are. They are higher than we, more knowledgeable than we, greater in power than we. Yet, they do not have even the greatest of power, knowledge, or importance, that shall be ours. Because we are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.

       Well, think of it this way ── it’s like a multi-billionaire who has a great many servants. He hires servants to watch over his only young son who is three years old. Now, his young son is going to inherit everything that his multi-billionaire father owns someday, his child is going to come into a great estate. Of course, this young child isn’t that old, and his servants have been on earth forty and sixty years ── they have greater knowledge than this young boy. Yet, this young boy stands to inherit all that his father owns. And, these servants were given charge to watch over his young son, so that an untimely death doesn’t come to him. Now, this young son, as he grows older may have some tribulations, some troubles, and maybe some very terrible things happen. But, just like with the story of the prophet Job ── the LORD God tells Satan, “ … ‘Only do not lay a hand on his person.’” So, these servants are to protect, to guide, and to serve his young son. Because this young man will be lord over them someday.

       Brethren, the LORD God’s cherubims, seraphims, and angels know this. They know this will come to be very shortly. God the Father is this great multi-billionaire. God the Father is the Creator of all things through Jesus Christ, and we are His potential sons and daughters. We can be begotten and then eventually born as very children of God. But, this is not the future for cherubims, seraphims, and angels ── their reason, their purpose, their function, is to serve the LORD God and those that were (and are) predestined.

Guardians and Messengers

This brings us to something I am going to say right here. And, the LORD God’s divine protection over me surely came even while I was being developed in my mother’s womb. And if you know my background and my medical conditions ── then you know what I speak. But, there was one time I was driving to Jacksonville, Florida early in the morning, and I had stopped at a gas station for some coffee. After exiting the building with the coffee cup in my hand, I opened the car door and quickly sat in the driver's seat ── and without thinking, I still had my left leg outside the door. Instantly this feeling came over me, and I heard a voice in my mind, “Look up ── now!” And, when I did, this evil-looking man was standing directly in front of the car staring at me! I quickly pulled my left leg in and locked the car doors. He continued to stare at me for a few more moments, then turned around and walked away. Again, a voice spoke in my mind, “See, all these many years, I have kept you safe.”

       Now, would you say that was a guardian angel, or not? There was nothing I could see that had spoken to me. However, I heard something in my mind. What would you say that was?

       Let me tell you another experience. I was traveling through the mountains of Nevada when I heard a voice in my mind that said, “Pull over immediately and rest!” I was unable to do so at that moment. This voice in my mind got louder, “PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY!” I looked around at the mountainous region, there was nowhere to pull over. Then, within a few miles, I came to a rest area. I pulled in and parked. I immediately began speaking with God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Not long I was taken in the Spirit and saw in vision a green tanker truck driving along in front of me, driving recklessly, swerving aggressively. Then, the green tanker truck swerved too much, flipped over, and exploded ── bursting into a ball of fire! And then the vision was gone.

       After another thirty minutes of prayer, I got back behind the wheel. And the very next on-ramp that I came to ── there was that same green tanker truck that I had only seen in vision! I began crying and speaking with the LORD God! In hindsight, the LORD God divinely intervened, possibly saving my life ── He altered the seconds of my life by slowing me down and causing me to stop.

       And you know, God’s living word says ──

       “ … ‘You are My servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away: 10) Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you with My righteous right hand.’” – Isaiah 41:9, 10.

       Brethren, “Whatsoever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and we do the things that are pleasing in His sight.” – 1 John 3:22; paraphrased.

       Another time while my wife and I were in Fayetteville, North Carolina, we had driven to the Cross Creek Mall. As we were just beginning to walk through the mall, I was lightly pushed to the left by an unseen force ── by something that wasn’t there. I began to feel within myself an overwhelming evil presence within the mall. And, the feeling became so strong, that I turned around and told my wife that I was leaving the mall. She turned around with me and we left immediately. It wasn’t until we got back to my sister’s house that we were told that back in November there was a shooting in that same mall that injured three. Apparently, and I looked this up on the Internet, there is a large amount of violence that has occurred even since then at that very same mall. So, evil is saturated there!

       Well, I could go on and on ── I have many such stories. But, let’s end this message today here. Cherubim’s, seraphim’s, and especially angels are to watch over the LORD God’s begotten people, they are sent as servants to watch over us. □

What Are Angels?

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COJCOM · 2 - 8-2025 ── What Are Angels?

Just the other night in conversation the subject of lions came up. And I had mentioned that the Eternal LORD God (the Elohim; the family of God, which at this time consists of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ) has spiritual lions in the third heaven that stand beside the armrests of God’s thrones. Along with twelve additional spiritual lions standing on each side of six steps leading to the thrones. Well, this completely blew his mind! He had never heard anything like this──and he goes with his sister to Sunday church nearly every Sunday! “Prove it!” he said. So, I opened up God’s living word and showed him – cf. 1 Kings 10:19-20. And then I began to speak of archangels. “Do you want to know what archangels actually look like?” I asked. And I proceeded to tell him. Again, “Prove it! Where is that in the Bible?” he asked. “Ezekiel chapter 1 and the Book of Revelation chapter 4,” I answered. He was dumbstruck.

       Do you know about angels? Have you ever seen an angel? You most likely never have. Have you ever heard anyone──either in a conversation or a sermon──explain to you just what angels are, and what they actually look like? Just who are angels? Do they actually exist? What are angels? And, if they do actually exist──why? What were they created for?

       Nearly every day of our life we have heard of angels and demons. And certainly, when you read God’s living word──the Holy Bible──you read a lot about angels because there is quite a bit about angels.

       Are angels nothing more than silly superstitions? Are they nothing more than figments of people's imaginations? Or, are there actual such beings?

       Now, I didn’t speak very long on this subject of angels to my friend, because we were among a group of “nones,” so I cut the conversation of this short. Certainly the group would rather have heard which team won the last football game or something of that nature.

       The first thing is first. One must prove to themselves that the Holy Bible is the actual inspired living words of an Almighty God. Or ── and we have a few articles and booklets that should help, Just What Is the New Testament? Many Convincing Proofs, and Does God Exist? ── Is it just a superstition? Is God’s living word nothing more than (so often despised in this 21st century) religious writing by a race of Jews with their concept of God──like Muslims have their concept of a god, Allah? I’ve actually heard this many times over the years. That Jehovah is nothing more than the God of the Jews. Or, is God’s living immutable and eternal word from the Creator that not only created all mankind, but the Earth, the heavens, the known universe, along the galaxy known as the Milky Way? From the Creator that created the known laws of thermodynamics? ── from the Creator that created gravity itself?

       Surely, we’ve all heard of the plethora of Greek gods? In nearly every school (at least is was when I was in high school) in the United States of America they are taught in philosophy class a good deal of Greek philosophy, including Aphrodite, Apollo, Ares, Athena, and Zeus. But, they DO NOT teach “the God of gods”! – cf. Deuteronomy 10:17; Acts 17:16-34.

       Are you able to prove──beyond any shadow of a doubt──that God’s living word is the inspired words of “the God of gods”? We can prove that not only is there a Creator God, but also that the Holy Bible is the inspired word of the Creator God. As an example: When we read what is written in God’s living word of things that would happen hundreds if not thousands of years before they actually occurred, about the first known civilizations ── the Sumerians, the Babylonians the Chaldeans, and the Assyrians, about ancient Rome (even before the story of Romulus or Remus was ever conceived). Or about the great fall of the Roman Empire and its various resurrections. Also, about what God’s living word says concerning the descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh (which would become

known as the United Kingdom and her Common Wealth Nations along with the United States of America). There are prophecies in God’s living word that no mortal human being could have ever conceived of, let alone bring them to fruition. Yet they occurred! And our written history books help prove the divine inspiration of God’s living word.

       So, again, I say that is the first thing you need to do──prove beyond a shadow of a doubt──that God’s living word is truly the inspired words of the LORD God. Because you probably haven’t actually seen an angel. Now, a scientist can explain to us about gravity. Although gravity has not been directly observed – though groundbreaking experiments may let us “see” gravity for the first time! Yet, everybody on this planet knows that gravity exists. So, just because something cannot be seen with our naked eye──it still can exist. So, the only source of Authority that we have concerning angels is the inspired living word of God.

       Just like the other night with a friend, I can tell you what God’s living word says about angels ── and I have before in several articles and sermons, like Revelation – A Book of the Past and the Future (Part IV) ── but it’s up to you whether you will believe the LORD our God. Of course, there are those people who only believe what they can physically see.

       Well, in fact, there was a time when the Lord GOD dealt with a physical nation of Israel while they were camped at the base of a physical mountain──Mount Sinai. And He manifested Himself to them with lightnings and peels of thunder that they could physically see and hear. And they actually heard the booming voice of the Lord GOD! They didn’t see Him, but they certainly saw His manifestations. He physically dealt with them. And, of course, we are physical as well, but we can receive the glorious gift of God’s Spirit ── Christ In Us! He can speak to us, brethren, spiritually.

       Truly, the LORD God has allotted mankind 6,000 years of permitting mankind to make their own decisions. And the LORD God also permits mankind to cut themselves off completely from the God family ── from Their grace, knowledge, and Spirit. We, as physical human beings can truly only know any revealed knowledge through our natural mind (absent of God’s Spirit) ── through our five senses, touch, sight, hearing, smell, and taste. And if we cannot touch it, see it, hear it, smell it, or taste it──we really are not aware that it exists. Spiritual knowledge cannot come through the physical. Because we can not see, hear, taste, feel, or smell anything spiritual – cf. 1 Corinthians 15:44, 46. So, to only know of anything spiritual is if the LORD God reveals it to us. And we then have to accept it on faith.

       So brethren──and this world as a whole is not a part of this──we have come unto Mount Zion (the living Church of Jesus Christ), the spiritual mountain of God, and enter into the glorious city of our living God──the heavenly Jerusalem, “to an innumerable company of angels.” – cf. Hebrews 12:22. And the LORD God has set this innumerable company of angels to guard us brethren. Yet, we cannot see them. And we need to know about them.

       Angels are revealed to us in God’s living word. Originally the Holy Bible was written in a couple of different languages ── Hebrew, Greek, and a smattering of Arabic. The language of English had not been developed yet. In fact, English is a West Germanic language and originated from Ingvaeonic languages that were brought to Britain in the mid-5th to 7th centuries AD by the Anglo-Saxons. The Old Testament was originally written entirely in the Hebrew language and the New Testament in the Greek language. The Hebrew word for “angel” is mal ‘āk. Meaning messenger, a human representative; angel. And the Greek word for “angel” is angelos. Again meaning messenger, angel, a human messenger, or agent.

What are angels?

Notice Psalm 104. “Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, You are very great: You are clothed with honor and majesty, 2) Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment, Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain. 3) He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters, Who makes the clouds His chariot, Who walks on the wings of the wind, 4) Who makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire.” – Psalm 104:1-4.

       So, the LORD God has made angels spirits. Now, we are not spirits. We are mortals. We are made “of the dust of the ground” – Genesis 2:7. And, the LORD God says that we will return to the ground from which we were taken – cf. Genesis 3:19. The LORD God has also told us that “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” – Romans 6:23. Sadly, I had a dear friend who was at one time a young minister with the Open Bible Churches that didn’t believe the LORD God here in this verse! Notice this – angels are spirits. And we see the exact same thing in the New Testament – “And of the angels He says: ‘Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire.’” – Hebrews 1:7. The apostle Paul believed our Lord Jesus Christ when he was taught by Him personally for about three years in the Arabian desert! Angels are spirits.

       So, the LORD God created them. And they were created out of spirit. They are spirits. Angels were not created out of some 118 elements of the periodic table ── remember we learned of the elements in Science class in school? Angels are not made from physical matter. What is matter? The basic definition is, “a material substance that constitutes the observable universe and, together with energy, forms the basis of all objective phenomena.” Interestingly, the Old Testament does not speak directly of the origin of angels further than what we just read. The time when angels were created is derived from three basic Scriptures in God’s living word – Exodus 20:11; and Job 38:4-7.

       Another thing to seriously think about is ── that since angels are spirit, they can travel through different dimensions. We basically know of four dimensions, but depending on who you ask, there could be upwards of 11 dimensions in the known universe! Do you suppose there could be an angel right there in the room with you this very second? Would you know if there was?

       In my office, upon my shelf, I have a copy of the Book of 2 Enoch, which is not an inspired part of God’s living word, which describes the creation of angels. It is possible that the Books of Enoch were written by men who had received some knowledge──even though the Books were not inspired. They certainly wrote and knew that angels were created by the LORD God. Notice the Book of Colossians ──

       “giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love [speaking of our Lord Jesus Christ His Son], 14) in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. 15) He is the image of the INVISIBLE GOD, the firstborn over all creation.” – Colossians 1:12-15.

       We are also told in John 1:3, “All things [including angels] were made through Him [our Lord Jesus Christ], and without Him nothing was made that was made.” And here it is, “For by Him 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.

Angels A Part of God’s Government

Angels are a part of the glorious kingdom of God──the government of God. And this is something that all mankind needs to think about and consider. I spent many nights in my youth looking up at the stars in the night sky pondering this! Here we are living on a spinning world ── approximately 1,037.5646 miles per hour! ── with all its beauty, conscious generally of only what we can see, hear, touch, taste, or smell, and not fully recognizing and understanding that all the forces that keep this world “suspended” in the darkness of space is a power greater than we could ever fathom! The Almighty God! Mankind, in general, does not consider or ponder that the LORD God is the Supreme Creator of everything we know and love. And that the LORD God has created beings with Free Moral Agency.

       Now, the LORD God can at any time intervene in the governments of man, whenever They please──and They certainly did on July 13, 2024! The attempted assassination of our beloved President Donald Trump! And I have been saying this since it occurred and he was saved──the LORD God may very well have saved his life because the United States of America will come to need a good war-time president. But, the LORD God does at times intervene in world affairs, and They will do so again.

       Now, the kingdom of God, the headquarters is in the third heaven. The third heaven is where the thrones of God are located. The heaven of God’s throne, where our Lord Jesus Christ ascended to at the right-hand side of God the Father.

       Since birth the overall majority of us have heard one astrologist and scientist ponder and wonder, theorize, and speculate, concerning life on any other planet in the known universe. And I’m speaking of life as we know life – of physical matter. Well, I don’t know. And they don’t know either! It’s just now being discovered that the planet Mars has an ocean──Geophysicists have discovered a gigantic hidden ocean beneath Mars’ surface, trapped inside a layer of fractured rock 7 to 13 miles beneath the Red Planet's outer crust! It is far too deep to access by any known means. Does it harbor life? We don’t know──and we will probably never know, unless the LORD God tells us. But think of this──considering the known size of the known universe──there must be a tremendous amount for the LORD God to govern. And there is a mighty spiritual organization that we could never imagine at the thrones of the Creator of the heavens and of the earth! We truly are──in size perspective──less than 1/5,000,000 of the scale of the Earth, which itself but a tiny speck in a cosmic ocean. On a cosmic scale, we are miniscule. But, our ultimate spiritual potential is massive! The known universe is ── which is part of the universe we can currently observe, has a diameter of approximately 93 billion light-years, or 28 billion parsecs. And, truthfully, mankind does not know much about the known universe.

       But angels are a part of the government of God. And there are untold millions of them. “an innumerable company of angels” (myriads—a great but indefinite number). They are spiritual messengers, they are servants and they are “superhuman.” And they are subordinate to the LORD God. Yet, they are higher than man. Angels, because they are obedient to the LAW OF GOD, the ORDINACES OF GOD, the STATUTES OF GOD, and the JUDGMENTS OF GOD, are within the living word of God pictured as being happy and joyful. They radiate joy, enthusiasm, happiness, and peace.

       Now, God’s living immutable word doesn’t actually tell us when angels were created, but it was before the earth was created. Notice ──

       “’ Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me. 4) Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? … 7) When the mourning stars sand together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?’” – Job 38:3, 4, 7.

       Of course, there is much evidence, not only geological but biblical as well, that the Earth was created more than 6,000 years ago! The standard answer is some 4.54 billion years ago. We can certainly calculate with relative accuracy when the creation of Adam took place, and that he was the beginning of true Homo sapiens, and we read of this in the Book of Genesis 1:26──and it was approximately 6,000 years ago.

       But besides all that, we know that angels were created long before the Earth was created. As we just read in the Book of Job, in which the LORD God asked the prophet Job, “’ Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?’” The morning stars are the angels. And you’ll find stars are symbolically used ── such as in the Book of Revelation 12:4; and 6:13. □

Free Moral Agency (VIDEO SERMON)

You can also listen to this sermon. Click the orange play button below.

COJCOM · 9-7-2024 - Free Moral Agency (Audio Sermon)

Good Morning Brethren, Friends, and Co-Workers in Christ around the world. Those who are in the U.K.; the Philippines; Kenya; and South Africa watching us on our YouTube channel. Welcome, and thank you for joining us this holy Sabbath – or whenever you are watching this message. I hope and pray that you are having a most wonderful Sabbath. God bless. I’m Leonard V Johnson. The V stands for victory! Let us, dear brethren, like the Apostle Paul continue to fight the good fight, to finish the race that is set before us, let us keep the faith!

Today’s message is going to be on FREE MORAL AGENCY. Because truly, the greatest creation by our LORD God is you! And, the most difficult, the most important, by far, of anything that the LORD God – the LORD God is the family of God, which at this time consists of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ! The most important, by far, that the LORD God can create – or ever has created – is holy righteous character.1 Without being a free moral agent, we would never be able to build the holy righteous character of the LORD God!

Because holy righteous character has to be developed – it cannot be just created by fiat. It has to be developed.

So holy righteous character is the ability in an INDEPENDENT AND SEPARATE ENTITY – a living being – that has intelligence and the ability to understand, to have knowledge and the ability to think and reason, to come to a conclusion and to make decisions – one who has what is called FREE MORAL AGENCY. Because you and I can think for ourselves, we know right from wrong, true from false. And, even though we have human nature – truly for the overall majority of us – we will choose to do the right.

Not only does it take knowledge, but it also takes self-discipline to do what we find is correct with Almighty God. Not what we might think is correct – but what the LORD God says is correct. Yet, sadly, the overall majority in this present evil age do what is correct in their own eyes. Truly, the real purpose for the creation of humanity – and I’ve covered this a great deal; such as in our messages – “God’s Master Plan – From the Beginning,” along with “You Were Born to Rule!” – the real reason that we are on this beautiful blue jewel that is spinning at approximately 1,040 miles per hour – and again we continue to teach this over and over – is that the LORD God (the family of God; God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ) are reproducing Themselves! Remember, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.’

We look like God, and God looks like us – except that God is composed of Spirit and we are flesh and blood. Now, we have differences in melanin in our skin – creating different colors – and production by melanocytes. 

As far as the color of our LORD God, we can turn to the likes of the Book of Revelation chapter 1, which states, “His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.” So, if one was to be able to look at our sun – what color is it? According to several scientific sources, the color of our sun is white – because when all the colors of the spectrum come together it appears as white. Of course, white is not considered a color.

I believe the LORD God has no particular color. Yet, God’s face is as bright as our sun shining in its strength – and we were created to be like that someday. And that is part of our wonderful potential.

Now, in a Personal writeup back in 2021, I briefly went over some biblical pre-history from the Old Testament. But, what a great many in these worldly churches don’t consider – or might not even think about – is the fact there is biblical pre-history in the New Testament.

The Book of John chapter 1.

Let’s begin there today for this holy Sabbath.

John 1, verse 1.

Notice the word Word is capitalized. It’s capitalized because it is a name. It means Spokesman or Revelator – One who speaks.

Verse 2.

So, here we have TWO SEPARATE BEINGS!

Now, I’ve had church people want to argue with me when I say that there are TWO BEINGS! They say rather quickly, that there is only ONE GOD! And they will often quote Isaiah 45:5, “’ I am the LORD [Lord here is Yahweh, spelled Y H W H; truly meaning Creator], and there is no other.’” It’s like saying, ‘There is no other Creator besides Me.’” “’ There is no God [God here being Elohim; the family of God] besides Me.’” Again, it’s like saying, ‘There is no other God family.’

But, here we have TWO SEPARATE BEINGS!

Verse 3.

Let’s move on down to verse 14 of the same chapter of the Book of John 1.

And, of course, this occurred possibly millions or billions of years later. God’s living word doesn’t say. But, the Word – this separate being – was made flesh and dwelt among us, and John the Baptist bore witness of Him.

Now, turning to the Book of Ephesians chapter 3.

Notice verse 9.

God the Father created all things THROUGH JESUS CHRIST!

Turning again to John chapter 1, verse 1 – have you ever realized that ‘in the beginning’ truly means that at this time there was no physical universe!? There was just simply space – maybe what we are coming to understand as “dark energy”!?

And, the LORD God; again, the family of God – decided to create. They decided to create spiritual angels first. Turn with me, if you will, to the Book of Job, chapter 38.

This is the LORD God answering the Prophet Job out of a whirlwind, after Job’s friend Elihu. Because Job was becoming a bit self-righteous in his own eyes, justifying himself rather than God. So, the LORD answered the Prophet Job – let’s begin in verse 4.

Verses 5 to 7.

So, the LORD God created spiritual angels first – even before the physical universe.

Let’s now notice when the LORD God created physical matter. Back in the first book of the Old Testament – the Book of Genesis chapter 1.

Verse 1.

Again, this word God is the Hebrew Elohim – meaning more than one. The family of God.

So, there are steps in which the LORD God creates. And throughout these nearly 5 ½ decades of existence I have come to see that science does back this up! 2 The method in which the LORD God creates is in duality. And, the Apostle Paul speaks of this – turn to the Book of 1st Corinthians chapter 15.

Beginning in verse 45.

Verses 46 to 49.

So, there is a spiritual phase that completes the creation.

But, returning to the LORD God first creating the spiritual angels. And, brethren and friends – even the creation of spiritual angels at that time was not complete. In other words, it was not finished. Again, the LORD God creates in duality. Again, the most important, by far, that the LORD God can create – or ever has created – is holy righteous character. Because holy righteous character has to be developed – it cannot be just created by fiat. It has to be developed. So, the angels of God were not created finished in their holy righteous character. And until that holy righteous character was finished within them, they were not complete.

Now, the LORD God created every one of them. And the LORD God created within them minds to understand, to have knowledge and the ability to think and reason, to come to conclusions and to make decisions. And, the LORD God also instructed them in the Way of life. In other words – the Law of God.

Now, I’ve spoken of this before, spiritual angels were never meant to rule the earth or the universe. And I’ve spoken of the Book of Hebrews chapter 2, verse 5. From the very beginning, the LORD God has had a MASTER PLAN!

Humans were not an afterthought.

But truly, the reason that the spiritual angels shouted for joy – as we just read about in the Book of Job, chapter 38, was because they were going to have a hand in completing the final touches of the beautification of this planet – preparing it for humans. Now, the earth was good – as God’s living word says, “God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.” Earth was a perfectly created planet as far as it went – but it needed to be completed and beautified. And, the LORD God intended some of the angels to do just this.

And, to do this beautification – the LORD God set over the Earth an archangel. This archangel – like all angels – has over them the government of God. The kingdom of God. And the kingdom of God is also a Way of life – the Way that keeps them a team, with the same goal. Instead of fighting against one another. And it’s a Way based on love – for God is love.

And, if you have this love of God – in Greek it’s agápē.

If you have this love of God you are just as concerned about the health, the wellbeing, and everything good and proper for your fellow man as you are for yourself.

So then, the angels we find in the Book of Ezekiel chapter 28. Along with in the Book of Isaiah chapter 14. And there was one archangel that the LORD God set over the Earth to complete its beautification to prepare for humankind. In Latin his name is Lucifer.

He was perfect in his ways from the day that he was created until iniquity was found in him.

The LORD God placed this archangel Lucifer on the Earth to superintend angels that were placed under him. And, they could work with the materials on Earth to produce and beautify – complete – the creation. Because understand – angels cannot create something out of nothing! They do not have that ability – only the LORD God does. Creation is solely an act of the LORD God.

Getting back to the duality principle.

The angels were finishing their own spiritual character – either good or evil – certainly while they were in the process of beautifying and completing the Earth for human habitation.

But, what happened!?

Turning to the Book of 2nd Peter chapter 2.

Verse 4.

So, understand, these here are not holy righteous angels. And, we see elsewhere – I believe it’s the Book of Revelation – that this is one-third of all the angels. The other two-thirds are holy righteous angels – that are loyal to the LORD God. These angels here sinned and were thrown down to the earth and delivered into chains of darkness – meaning darkness of character and mind. To be reserved for judgment.

So, Lucifer and the third of his demons – truly knowing right from wrong – rebelled against the LORD God and their decision is irrevocable, they are beyond redemption.

Now, I have mentioned to my dear Sister before that these angels that sinned could repent. But, that is not so - Satan the Devil and these angels WILLINGLY chose to disobey the LORD God, thus, they are blatantly GUILTY! And they will be judged accordingly!

They, like we are, were free moral agents. And they could not be holy until they had the holiness of God within them. And they would have had to accept and take this holiness from the LORD God willingly. But they outright refused!

And immediately after they refused – what happened!? The beautifying and completion of the Earth abruptly stopped!

Turning again to the Book of Genesis chapter 1.

Verse 2.

“The Earth became without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep.”

They polluted everything!

Now, some claim that Lucifer and the angels sinning caused decay and death – as in the first death; physical death.

And, as I’ve mentioned before – I want you to understand that mankind was going to die – no matter if they were to choose the Tree of Life or the Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil. Had they chosen the Tree of Life, they would still have lived out their days and died; and indeed we find this did happen, “So all the days that Adam lived were 930 years; and he died” – Genesis 5:5.

The law of decay is a physical law described in mathematical manners that describes the properties of a nuclear atom in a state of decay. So, truly, this law of decay proves that life originated from a Divine Being with intelligence outside of this physical universe.

Sadly, there has been a misconception – a misunderstanding – that the LORD God made a mistake in creating Lucifer.

There is nothing of the kind. 3 Our sovereign LORD God has been accomplishing Their Master Plan from the very beginning. And nothing that Lucifer or humanity has done, or will ever do, will interfere with Their ultimate fulfillment and purpose.

There are a few passages in God’s living word that we can see this – one of which I spoke of earlier, the Book of Genesis chapter 1, verse 26, I mean verse 31. The Lord saw that everything He created was “very good.” And, I tend to like a comment in the Jamieson, Fausett, and Brown Commentary concerning this “very good” says. Concerning verse 31 it says –

READ THE BOOK.

Of course, death is not considered “very good” under human definition – and indeed it is an enemy. But going back to what we just read – death “was (and is) part of the progress of creation, in its adaptation to the end” – part of the end product of God's Master Plan.

Also, let’s turn in our Bible to the Book of Romans chapter 5.

Verse 12.

The Apostle Paul here is speaking of spiritual death – as in the Book of Revelation chapter 20, verse 15. And Revelation chapter 21, verse 8. What is called “the second death.”

The Apostle Paul’s discussion of death coming through sin, and thus death “spread to all men, because all sinned.”

Brethren, friends, the life that came through our Lord Jesus is spiritual life. So, truly, the death that comes through sin is spiritual death – the “second death.”

Let’s be logical. Even in the Garden of Eden – what if there was no death and every creature lived forever? How long would it take before the world was overrun with animals!? Whether herbivores ate plants or other animals. Logically, predators are necessary to maintain a healthy and stable population of all kinds of animal life. So, death – and I’m speaking of the first death – is an essential component in God’s overall Master Plan! Even originally in a world that was “very good.”

But, getting back.

The LORD God decided to create mankind and to begin reproducing Themselves through millions and millions and even billions and billions of beings – human beings that will someday become divine beings that can have the very holy character of God.

And this, brethren and friends, is the greatest and most important good news that anyone could ever hear!

Let’s move on and notice verse 2 of the Book of Genesis chapter 1 again.

Verse 2.

The Earth – planet Earth – because the Hebrew word for the phrase without form is tohu, meaning confusion and waste. As in a wasteland, a wilderness, even a spiritual emptiness and spiritual confusion. And the Hebrew word for void also means, “made empty.”

It does not mean decay.

So, the face of the Earth became a complete wasteland.

Lucifer – who is now called Satan the Adversary – and his angels (who are now called demons) did not continue the beautification of the Earth for the habitation of humankind. They rebelled and they sinned.

We learn from God’s living word that this planet – planet Earth – is but the beginning. For the LORD God is planting the heavens. And we find this in the Book of Isaiah chapter 51, verse 16.

All of mankind was created to obey the glorious and holy Law of God. And from the beginning, God’s Law was given to Adam and Eve. And Adam – with the help from God’s Holy Spirit – was to overcome Satan the Adversary, to turn from the evil one, to turn from the way of get – to turn from covetousness, jealousy, bitterness, wrath, lust – the way of wrong competition and envy and strife, vanity and greed, and a resentment against proper authority, and all of that.

Truly, the LORD God is CREATOR! They create and build up; They DO NOT tear down and they do not make someone feel unappreciated or unloved. And, true brothers and sisters in Christ must learn how to build up our fellow man, not tear them down. And, we brethren, need to learn how to do that.

So, our Lord God – the very One that was known as the Word – remade the face of the Earth in six Earth days. (however many earth hours a day was at that time).

Turning to the Book of Psalm chapter 104.

I believe it's verse 30.

So the Lord God renewed the face of the earth after the angels that sinned brought the earth into emptiness and darkness. And the LORD God renewed the face of the Earth for mankind. Just as the Book of Genesis chapter 1 verse 3 states, “Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.” And the LORD God divided the light from the darkness. And The LORD God is continuing to divide the light from the darkness – even to this very day.

Mankind was created and placed upon this beautiful jewel of a planet to also build righteous godly character. But, what has occurred?

Adam- our very first parent, followed his wife Eve who sinned against the LORD God. Adam chose the wrong way – Adam chose Satan’s way. And ever since then, mankind has been polluting and destroying everything we get our hands on that the LORD God has created! You might recall that I mentioned this in an article or a previous sermon – that the planet we know as Mars is now littered with 15,694 pounds of human trash from over 50 years of exploration!

So, tell me one thing that mankind has touched, especially planet Earth, that he has not polluted, destroyed, or harmed in some way. Yet, mankind believes that he is progressing. I often say that I truly believe that a horse-drawn carriage was a better form of transportation than what we have today in this 21st century! Just the mining for the materials to make a battery for a battery-operated automobile and the terrible damage and destruction to this earth and its atmosphere is argument enough. Of course, good old communist “Fact Check” continues to try and tell us that there is no damage to the earth whatsoever from the mining of the materials for an electric car battery! Well, what I have to say is exactly what the LORD God says to you!

“’ WOE TO THOSE who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!’”

Going back to the Book of Genesis chapter 1, we read again –

Notice verse 26.

Adam and Eve had the very chance to resist the way of Satan the Devil. And to accept and obey the kingdom of God!

Notice the Word – the very One that would later come to be our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ – explained thoroughly to Adam and Eve the Law of God. But then, on Sunday, the enchanting Whisperer came to Eve.

Adam could have taken control of Satan the Devil’s self-appointed rulership over the Earth – who once was created as a perfect archangel. Perfect in all his ways from the day he was created until iniquity was found in him. And he built upon the character he desired to build. The character of PRIDE, fierceness, and cruelty, and power, and deceit.

And we -being of a free moral agent – must build upon holy righteous godly character – with the very help of CHRIST IN US! The glorious Holy Spirit! That is why we were created and placed on this Earth! The purpose of human life is to build that kind of holy and righteous godly character – the very character of the LORD God! For the Law of God is the very foundation and the basis of the government of God.

And sadly, the government of God has not been established yet on this planet. Remember our Lord Jesus Christ has said, “’ My kingdom is not of this earth.’” His kingdom is of a new earth to come!

And we are to pray always, ‘Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.’ And it won’t be until then that we will have true lasting peace on earth.

Thank you for listening today – and Godspeed. We love you here and pray for you always. And we hope and pray that you continue to love and pray for us here. So, until next time, this is Leonard V Johnson for the Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries.

Goodbye for now.

Notes:

1. Mr. Johnson said, "... that the LORD God can create – or ever has created – is holy righteous character" meaning, the LORD God created the necessity of building holy righteous character.

2. What Mr. Johnson was speaking of is the fact there is a physical first and there is a spiritual second in the duality of our creation - because we as humans are NOT COMPLETE.

3. Truly, the LORD God did not create a Satan, but rather a beautiful and brilliant archangel. The LORD God did not create the character that Lucifer has become.