- Artwork, such as this statue from St. Michael’s Church, Hamburg, Germany, portrays St. Michael casting out Lucifer, aka Satan, Father of lies, Devil etc., as recorded in Revelation 12: 7-12. Artists have added the Cross to the Scripture passage, though not recorded in Holy Writ in the Revelation passage. Yet, it is true: by Christ’s death and resurrection, the devil is put to flight in the Lord’s mercy toward us sinners.
Prayer of the Day
Everlasting God, You have ordained and constituted the service of angels and men in a wonderful order. Mercifully grant that, as Your holy angels always serve and worship You in heaven, so by Your appointment they may also help and defend us here on earth; through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
About St. Michael and All Angels: The name of the archangel St. Michael means “Who is like God?” Michael is mentioned in the Book of Daniel (12:1), as well as in Jude (v. 9) and Revelation (12:7). Daniel portrays Michael as the angelic helper of Israel who leads the battle against the forces of evil. In Revelation, Michael and his angels fight against and defeat Satan and the evil angels, driving them from heaven. Their victory is made possible by Christ’s own victory over Satan in His death and resurrection, a victory announced by the voice in heaven: “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come” (Revelation 12:10). Michael is often associated with Gabriel and Raphael, the other chief angels or archangels who surround the throne of God. Tradition names Michael as the patron and protector of the Church, especially as the protector of Christians at the hour of death. (The Treasury of Daily Prayer, Concordia Publishing House)
Lessons: Daniel 10: 10-14 Psalm 91 Revelation 12: 7-12 St. Matthew 18: 1-11 or St. Luke 10: 17-20
Reflection on Revelation 19: The angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” 10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
and
Hebrews 1: 14: Are they (angels) not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?
God’s Word is clear. The Greek word for “angel”, literally means “messenger”. In many icons, John the Baptist is portrayed with wings to remind us that John as the angels brought God’s Word to people on earth. Yet when angels bring God’s Word to mortals, there is knee-knocking fear because they reflect the glory of God. This is why Gabriel first had to say to Mary, Fear not.
The Scripture is equally clear: angels are humble. As it is written in Revelation 19, when John wants to worship the angel, the angel bluntly states, “You must not do that!” Angels and saints in heaven are not to be worshiped, that is, prayed to and invoked, as too many churches do to this day. I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God. Prayer is organically part of worship. Since an angel did not want worship and prayer from John, since only the Lord is to be so worshiped and invoked in prayer, then it would follow that the saints in heaven do not and should not be named in prayer. Yet, the saints as the angels are in the communion around the throne of the Lamb and as a whole, do pray for us, His Church, and those prayers are compared with incense ascending to the Lord, cf. Revelation 5:8,Revelation 8:3,Revelation 8:4.
It is also clear from the Bible: Angels hold to the testimony of Jesus. Further, we read in Hebrews angels serve us mortals. Mortals, who by God’s grace in Jesus Christ, received through faith in the work of the Holy Spirit, are inheritors of salvation. Angels are luminous servants and messengers of the Most High, are our fellow servants holding to the witness of Christ! In Greek, “Gospel” literally means good message, the Gospel of Christ Jesus:
Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. Revelation 14: 6
We are not alone: I think when popular articles about UFOs and ETs, begin with, “we are not alone”, it is strange and sad science fiction comfort that is sought: we are not alone in the vast universe. But the Lord has told us this for centuries, the millenia: we are not alone. This is God’s own truth. His angels keep us safe and watch over us, serving us frail mortals. The angels know they did not die for sinners. The angels saw what happened when one of their own wanted to be worshiped as God, that is, Lucifer (literally, light bearer). The angels know that God’s own Son did not die and rise for them, but for the Sons of Adam and the Daughters of Eve, who fancy themselves as ‘stars’, wanting to be “like God”, following the angel hosts’ fallen brother’s lie (see Genesis 3). Again, the name Michael means, “Who is like God?” Answer: not Michael, but the Son of Joseph, the Son of God: Jesus. The angels know they can not bring another Gospel (see Galatians 1:8), but they give witness to the Gospel of the Son’s Crucifixion and Resurrection, the “eternal Gospel”, for us all to see and come to faith, see Revelation 14:6.
We are not alone. This is comfort to the Lord’s redeemed people that God is One, yet the Lord Himself is not alone. “Glorious is God with His angels and saints, O Come, let us worship Him” (invitatory for daily prayer). The Lord, the blessed and holy Trinity, wants His kingdom filled with the redeemed. Every Holy Communion the pastor prays with the Congregation from the liturgy the Sanctus, the thrice-holy: The Biblical insight is that when we tally how many were at worship on a given Sunday, we can not count, as the Congregation sings in the Sanctus (holy):
Pastor: ” with angels and archangels and all the company heaven, lauding and magnifying Thy Holy Name, ever more praising Thee and saying,
Congregation: HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, LORD GOD OF SABOATH , HEAVEN AND EARTH ARE FULL OF THY GLORY. HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST.” (part of the prefaces in the Divine Service).
We are not alone, we are baptized into the Holy Communion, not by an angel from heaven, but from one of the Lord’s messengers, your pastor, in the communion of the whole Church on earth and angels and archangels and all the saints in heaven!
A blessed Feast Day to all!
Concordia and Koinonia 