THE ANGELS OF HIS PRESENCE

1. THE ANGELS OF HIS PRESENCE Ministering spirits for the heirs of salvation

2. Ministering spirits, sent forth to serve the heirs of salvation. • A constant series of missions: guiding, protecting, assisting, chastening; subject to our free will. [Heb 1] • The Angel of Yahweh encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them. [Ps 34:7] • Their activity is not intermittent, only when we are in trouble. They are active always in all situations throughout our lives. • He shall give His Angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. [Ps 91:11] • Like our Lord Jesus Christ, we must never presume or abuse the care and protection afforded by the Angels. It is there for what we cannot do ourselves. The Angels of His Presence

3. Why are the Angels so important to us? • Angels are preparing us to be like them, doing what they do. They are our pattern of activity in the Kingdom. • Angels are concerned to save us mortals. This will be our concern in the Kingdom, and should be now. • Angels make known to us the Father and reflect His ways and character. They are of one mind with Him, and do His will as He would; yet are individual personalities. • Angels are with us always and know us thoroughly, even our thoughts. They rejoice when we respond to their working in our lives. • The Angel who has known us throughout our lifetime will be with us at the judgment seat. The Angels of His Presence

4. Angels are called Men • Because they are men, glorified men, who have come through the experience of good and evil. Who have been exalted to immortality because they have chosen to make an absolute surrender of their will to the Father. Angels are called God [Elohim: Mighty Ones] • Because they are representatives of the Deity, the mighty agents through whom Yahweh does His work, who bear His Name. A multitude of intelligent, powerful beings who are manifestations of Himself. They are made in His image, and are of His Spirit substance, and are incorruptible like Him. • “It is a well established principle of the Scriptures that what the Eternal Father does by His agents, He is considered as doing Himself.” [Elpis Israel p183] The Angels of His Presence

5. The Angels are subject to Yahweh • Bless the LORD, you His Angels, who excel in strength, who do His word, heeding the voice of His word. Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, you ministers of His, who do His pleasure. [Ps 103:20] • The heavens will praise your wonders, O LORD; your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints [holy ones]. Who in the heavens can be compared to the LORD? who among the sons of the mighty [heavenly beings] can be likened to Him? [Ps 89:5-6] • God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints [holy ones], and to be held in reverence by all those around Him. [v7] • They act in His Name to perform His will. They never act independently of Him, or out of harmony with His mind and His way, they never exalt themselves. The Angels of His Presence

6. Yahweh created the heavens and earth by His Spirit through the Elohim. • In the beginning Elohim [plural noun] created [singular verb] the heavens and the earth. [Gen 1:1] • The LORD God made the earth and heavens. [Gen 2:4] • Yahweh, who created the heavens, who formed the earth and made it, who has established it. [Isa 45:18] • “The Elohim brought the latent elements of the world into play, they gave direction and application to power, and the Spirit of the Everlasting Father accomplished all they were employed to effect. • “God, by the Elohim created the heavens and the earth. He said, ‘Let there be light;’ He made the Expanse; He called it Heaven; He did it all through them; they executed what He empowered them to perform.”[J Thomas, Herald of the Future Age, 1847] The Angels of His Presence

7. There are limits to the Angels’ energy. • In six days Yahweh made the heavens and the earth, on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed. [Ex 31:17] • “The Angels, as the instruments and users of the energy employed in the work, are not to be thought of as inexhaustible Deity. Their power must be subject to a limitation unknown to ‘the Creator of the ends of the earth, who fainteth not, neither is weary’. • “It is not, an inconceivable idea that after the stupendous power put forth in the reorganization of this sublunary creation in six days, the Elohim should have welcomed the suspension of creative work on the 7th day, as affording an opportunity of replenishing spent energy by re-absorption from the Eternal Fountain.” • [R Roberts,Law of Moses, p41] The Angels of His Presence

8. The Angels were the Morning Stars and Sons of Elohim who rejoiced at creation. • Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?…who determined its measurements?… who stretched the line upon it? [Job 38:4-5] • To what were its foundations fastened? who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of Elohim shouted for joy? [v6-7] • Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from [the Angels of] your presence? [Ps 139:7] • Yahweh fills the universe with His Spirit, but works with us through the Angels—a much closer, more personal relationship. • Both malak in the O.T. and angelos in the N.T. come from root words meaning one sent, as a messenger, an agent, a representative. The Angels of His Presence

9. John Thomas defined ELOHIM as • ”The one Eternal Spirit multitudinously manifested in mighty or powerful ones. Not a multitude of beings acting independently of each other. • Elohim is a word compounded of roots that signify Mighty Ones united together as One, and this idea is strengthened when the plural noun is used with a singular verb, as Gen 1:1—Elohim (pl.) created (sing.).” [Phanerosis, p129, Logos Ed] • They have Yahweh’s mind, they act for Him as He would act; yet they are all individual personalities, even as we will be in the Kingdom. The Angels of His Presence

10. Angels are Elohim [Mighty Ones] • What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? You have made him a little lower than the Elohim, and You have crowned him with glory and honor. [Ps 8:4] • You have made him a little lower than the Angels.[Heb 2:7] • Worship Him, all you Elohim. [Ps 97:7] • When He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all the Angels of God worship Him.” [Heb 1:6] The Angels of His Presence

11. The Angels created man in their image and likeness. • Elohim said, “Let US make man in OUR image, according to OUR likeness…” Elohim created man in his own image; in the image of Elohim he created him; male and female he created them. [Gen 1:26-27] • In the day that Elohim created man, he made him in the likeness of Elohim. [Gen 5:1] • Then Yahweh Elohim said, “Behold, the man has become like one of US, to know [experimentally] good and evil. Now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life…” [Gen 3:22] • We are like the Angels—and they are like us! They knew good and evil during their probation. The Angels of His Presence

12. LIKE US—Knowing good and evil • To know good and evil is to know what is good and what is evil, and continually make free will choices. • Your little ones have no knowledge of good and evil. [Deut 1:39] • The virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel… that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good. [Isa 7:14] • Those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, those who have done evil, to condemnation. [John 5:29] • Like us, the Angels experienced good and evil during their probationary period. There would have been no glory to God if their obedience was not the result of voluntary submission of their own free will. The Angels of His Presence

13. The Angels passed through a mortal, probationary state like us. • “Sons of God is a title conferred upon men and Angels. They are styled ‘Sons of God’ and ‘Stars of the Dawn’, or ‘Morning Stars’. [Job 38:7] • “We do not mean to say that the Sons of God, called in Scripture Angels, or messengers, and Gods, are now mortal and corruptible, and weak of mind and body as we are; they have passed through this state, and now occupy a state beyond it, in which they are incorruptible, immortal, glorious, powerful, wise, and of spirit-corporeality. • “In their former state they were Sons of God subject to evil as we; in their present state, they are sons subject only to good.” [Eureka, vol 1, p29] The Angels of His Presence

14. The Angels were actively engaged in developing Adam and Eve. • They heard the sound of Yahweh Elohim walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves among the trees of the garden. [Gen 3:8] • For Adam and his wife Yahweh Elohim made tunics of skin, and clothed them. [v21] • Yahweh Elohim drove out the man; and placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life. [v24] • The Angels taught them the meaning of sacrifice: • The perfect offering that Yahweh would provide for the forgiveness of sins. • The need for them to put to death the sinful nature they now possessed. The Angels of His Presence

15. CHERUBIM [one like the head] • A pictorial representation of the Yahweh Name, “I Will Be Who I Will Be”. • They illustrate Yahweh’s intent to manifest Himself in a Host of Redeemed Ones, despite the failure of Adam and Eve. • The basic likeness is that of a man, because Yahweh has chosen to reveal Himself in glorified men/women. • The Cherubim represent the new Elohim. They are not Angels, since the Angels already are what the cherubim represent. • “The cherubim are representative of the One Eternal Spirit in multitudinous manifestation.”[Eureka, vol 1, p76] The Angels of His Presence

16. The Angels were active with Cain and Abel • Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to Yahweh. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. Yahweh respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. [Gen 4:3-5] • Yahweh said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? If you do not do well, sin lies at the door. Its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” [v6-7] • Not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. Why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous. [1John 3:12] • Cain was practicing wickedness as his way of life. The Angels of His Presence

17. The Angels saved Noah. • Yahweh saw the wickedness of man was great in the earth... Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with Elohim. • Elohim said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before me, for the earth is filled with violence; I will destroy them... I will establish my covenant with you; you shall go into the ark.” [Gen 6:5] • God did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly. [2Pet 2:5] • Noah and Enoch walked consciously aware of the presence of the Angels working in their lives. The flood is an example that the Angels can only do so much in their efforts to save mortals. The earth was out of control in spite of all their work. They will not override our freewill. The Angels of His Presence

18. The Angels acted at the Tower of Babel. • Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. [Gen 11:5] • Yahweh said, “The people are one and they all have one language... now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. [v6] • Come, let US go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” [v7] • Yahweh scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. [v8] • The Angels were acting in Yahweh’s Name, actually doing what is attributed to Yahweh himself. The Angels of His Presence

19. The Angels are the eyes of the Lord. • The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. [2Chr 16:9] • The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. [Ps 34:15] • The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. [Pro 15:3] • The ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders all his paths. [Pro 5:21] The Angels of His Presence

20. The apparent failure of the Angels work was foreseen by Yahweh. • The earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. The creation was subjected to futility in hope. [Rom 8:19-20] • We who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. [v23] • We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. [Eph 2:10] • We all, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory. [2Cor 3:18] The Angels of His Presence

21. The work the Angels began in Eden of creating man in their image and likeness will be completed when the Elect inherit the Kingdom. • Then the King will say...”Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” [Matt 25:34] • Those who are accounted worthy to attain that age and the resurrection from the dead... are equal to the Angels and are sons of God. [Luke 20:35] • The Angels will succeed if we trust God and accept their work in our lives and cooperate with them in their efforts to develop us. The Angels of His Presence

22. Yahweh Elohim appeared to Abraham and Sarah and promised Isaac. • When Abram was 99 years old, YAHWEH appeared to Abram and said, “I am EL SHADDAI [the Strength of the Powerful Ones; the All-Sufficient Provider and Nourisher]; walk before me blameless. I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.” [Gen 17:1] • Then Abram fell on his face, and ELOHIM talked with him, saying... “No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. [v3-5] • Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish my covenant with him...” He finished talking with him, and ELOHIM went up from Abraham. [v19,22] The Angels of His Presence

23. Three men appeared to Abraham in Yahweh’s Name. • YAHWEH appeared to him as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. THREE MEN were standing by him; when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, bowed himself to the ground, and said, “My Lord, if I have now found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant...” [Gen 18:1-3] • He took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; he stood by them under the tree as they ate. THEY said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He said, “Here, in the tent.” [v8-9] • HE said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” (Sarah was listening in the tent door behind him.) [v10] The Angels of His Presence

24. The Angels know our thoughts and the intent of our hearts. • Abraham and Sarah were old, well-advanced in age; Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. Sarah laughed within herself, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?” [Gen 18:11-12] • YAHWEH said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh,‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’ Is anything too hard for Yahweh?” Sarah denied it, “I did not laugh,” she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh!” [v13-15] • By faith Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed; she bore a child when she was past the age, she judged Him faithful who had promised. [Heb 11:11] • Sarah at first was incredulous, but then believed. The Angels of His Presence

25. The Angels are not Omniscient, nor are they all equal in status. • YAHWEH said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing? The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, their sin is very grave, I will go down and see if they have done according to the outcry.” [Gen 18:17,20-21] • THE MEN went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before YAHWEH. He said, “If I find in Sodom 50 righteous within the city, I will spare the place for their sakes.” Abraham said, “I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to YAHWEH...” YAHWEH went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham. [Gen 18:22,26,27,33] • There are degrees of authority among the Angels; certain ones bear Yahweh’s name. The Angels of His Presence

26. What the Angels do depends upon how we respond. • Two ANGELS came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground. He said, “Here now, my lords, please turn in to your servant’s house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way.” They said, “No, but we will spend the night in the open square.” [Gen 19:1-2] • But he insisted strongly; so they turned in to him and entered his house. Then he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. Before they lay down… the men of Sodom… surrounded the house... They said, “This one came in to stay here, and he keeps acting as a judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them.” They pressed hard against the man Lot, and came near to break down the door. [v3-4,9] The Angels of His Presence

27. Angels have the power of the Spirit in doing Yahweh’s work. • THE MEN reached out their hands and pulled Lot into the house with them, and shut the door. [Gen 19:10] • They struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness… so that they became weary trying to find the door. [v11] • Then THE MEN said to Lot, “Have you anyone else here? Son-in-law, your sons, your daughters, whomever you have in the city take them out of this place! [v12] • For we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown great before the face of Yahweh, and He has sent us to destroy it.” [v13] • They were sent on a mission by God, but had leeway as to how they handled the situation. The Angels of His Presence

28. The Angels demonstrate Yahweh’s compassion and kindness. • When morning dawned, THE ANGELS urged Lot to hurry… lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city. [Gen 19:15] • While he lingered, THE MEN took hold of his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters, YAHWEH being merciful to him [thecompassion of Yahweh was upon him]. [v16] • They brought him out and set him outside the city. “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.” [v17] • Lot is resisting, but the Angels are immensely patient; there was no chiding Lot for his lack of faith. The Angels of His Presence

29. Lot continues to hold back and raise objections. • Lot said to them, “Please, no, my lords! Indeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake me and I die. [Gen 19:18-19] • This city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one; please let me escape there and live.” [v20] • Surely the Angels would protect him if they told him to go there! The Angels of His Presence

30. The Angels are exceedingly patient with our weak faith. • The Angel said to Lot, “I have favored you concerning this thing also, in that I will not overthrow this city for which you have spoken. Hurry, escape there. For I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” [Gen 19:21] • He delivered righteous Lot, oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked; that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds. [2Pet 2:7] • Lot had a measure of faith and God responded to it. His compassion is great! The Elect are saved out of evil, despite our weak faith—for all things are for our sake. • Visible demonstrations of the angels’ working are rare in Scripture; but they are the pattern of their care in ordering the events in the lives of His servants today. The Angels of His Presence

31. Elohim tested Abraham; his faith was proven, certified, verified. • “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering.” Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son... and the two of them went together. [Gen 22:2,6] • Isaac said, “My father... where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “My son, ELOHIM will provide for HIMSELF the lamb for a burnt offering.” They came to the place of which ELOHIM had told him. [v7-8] • Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. [v9-10] The Angels of His Presence

32. An Angel of Yahweh called from heaven to spare Isaac and promised THE Seed. • The Angel of Yahweh called to him from heaven, “Abraham, Abraham!” He said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; now I know that you fear Elohim, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” [Gen 22:11-12] • The Angel of Yahweh called to Abraham a second time out of heaven...”By Myself I have sworn, says Yahweh , because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son, blessing I will bless you... your seed shall possess the gate of His enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” [15-17] • The Angel was speaking and acting for Yahweh. The Angels of His Presence

33. The Lord sent His Angel with Eliezer to get Rebekah for Isaac. • “Yahweh before whom I walk, will send His Angel with you and prosper your way; and you shall take a wife for my son from my kindred, my father’s house.” [Gen 24:40] • [Eliezer] “O Yahweh Elohim of my master Abraham... I stand by the well of water... when the virgin comes out to draw water, and I say to her...‘Please give me a little water’... and she says to me, ‘Drink, and I will draw for your camels’... let her be the woman whom Yahweh has appointed for my master’s son.” [v12] • The Angels were active in Abraham’s life because he walked faithfully before them. • If our lives are in harmony with the Lord we can be confident He will guide our affairs. The Angels of His Presence

34. Before I had finished speaking in my heart, there was Rebekah coming out! • “Please let me drink.” She said, “Drink and I will give your camels a drink.” I bowed my head and worshipped Yahweh... who led me in the way of truth to take the daughter of my master’s brother for his son. [Gen 24:45-48] • Bethuel said, “The thing comes from Yahweh... take her and go, let her be your master’s son’s wife, as Yahweh has spoken.” They called Rebekah “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.” [v50-51,58] • Eliezer never saw the Angel, nor heard his voice; yet he knew his prayer had been answered and the Angel had prospered his way. • The Angels anticipate and arrange events beforehand. Rebekah was coming out before Eliezer had even asked for her. The Angels of His Presence

35. Jacob was given the Abrahamic Promises, yet still had to learn to obey. • He dreamed, a ladder was set up on the earth, its top reached to heaven; there the Angels of Elohim were ascending and descending on it. Yahweh stood above [beside] it and said: “I am Yahweh Elohim of Abraham your father, the Elohim of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. [Gen 28:12-13] • I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.” [v15] • Jacob is given the absolute assurance the Angels are at work in his life; but that doesn’t mean he isn’t going to be subject to some terrific adversities and learn to trust and obey God through great affliction. • We can’t shortcut our preparation for the Kingdom. The Angels of His Presence

36. Jacob’s ladder • “Upon this ladder of ages and generations, with Jacob at the bottom and his seed, the Shiloh, at the top, ‘the Angels of God were ascending and descending.’ • This represented to him that the affairs of his posterity, natural and spiritual, in all their relations with the world, would be superintended by the Elohim, who would pass to and fro between earth and heaven in the performance of their work. • Hence, the apostle styles them, ‘all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall inherit salvation.’ Israel and the nations are under their vice-gerency [authority delegated by God] till the Lord Jesus comes to assume the sovereignty of the world.”[Elpis Israel, p271] The Angels of His Presence

37. Jacob’s cleverness had been more than matched by Laban. • “I have been in your [Laban’s] house 20 years; I served you 14 years for your two daughters, and 6 years for your flock, and you have changed my wages 10 times. • Unless the Elohim of my father, the Elohim of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. • Elohim has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.” [Gen 31:41-42] • Jacob was learning to cooperate with the Angel. The Angels of His Presence

38. Jacob is on the way back and meets the Elohim and Esau. • Jacob went on his way, and the Angels of Elohim met him. When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is Elohim’s camp.” He called the name Mahanaim. [Gen 32:1-2] • The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, he is coming to meet you, 400 men are with him.” Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; he divided the people that were with him… into two companies. [v6-7] • Jacob knew he could not protect his family; he could not go forward in his own strength. • He had reached that point in his life that we all must come towe can’t go it alone. The Angels of His Presence

39. Jacob pleads Yahweh’s help. • “O Elohim of my father Abraham and Elohim of my father Isaac, Yahweh who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you’. [Gen 32:9] • I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which you have shown your servant; for I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two companies. [v10] • Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children. For you said, ‘I will surely treat you well, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea.’” [v11-12] • That is the frame of mind God must bring us to. The Angels of His Presence

40. Jacob does what little he can to appease Esau… • …with a present of 500 animals, but realized he is totally dependent upon Elohim to preserve his family, and is powerless before Esau. This shows Jacob’s changed attitude toward Esau, he is now concerned for him. • The present went on over before him, but he himself lodged that night in the camp. He arose that night and took his two wives, his two female servants, his eleven sons, and sent them over the brook Then Jacob was left alone. [Gen 32:12-24] • Jacob went back alone, looking for the Angelswho had met him earlier. The Angels of His Presence

41. An Angel wrestled with Jacob • and changed his name to Israel—the Angel had been wrestling with Jacob throughout his entire life. • A MAN wrestled [to grasp, grapple]with him until the breaking of day. When He saw that He did not prevail against him [because Jacob would not let him go], He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket was out of joint. • He said, “Let me go, for the day breaks.” He said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me!” [Gen 32:24-26] • Unless Elohim took charge of his family, they would not make it. We each reach a point in life when we realize we cannot do it in our own strength, and plead with the Lord to do it his way, to bring about God-likeness in us and in our family. The Angels of His Presence

42. The Angel wrestled until Jacob prevailed by weeping and praying. • He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and in his strength he struggled with Elohim. He struggled with the Angel and prevailed; he wept, and sought favor from Him. He found Him in Bethel, and there He spoke to us. [Hos 12:3-4] • Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear. [Heb 5:7] • Like our Lord, Jacob prevailed by weeping and praying. The Angels of His Presence

43. Jacob went forward limping… • …no longer in his own strength, and no longer afraid of Esau, but a completely changed man. • He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel[God strives, governs, masters]; you have struggled with Elohim and with men, and have prevailed.” [Gen 32:28] • Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: “For I have seen Elohim face to face, and my life is preserved.” Just as he crossed over Penuel the sun rose on him, and he limped. [v30-31] The Angels of His Presence

44. The Angel who had been with Jacob all his life blessed the sons of Joseph. • ELOHIM spoke to Israel in the visions of the night: “Jacob, Jacob! I am EL, the ELOHIM of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will surely bring you up again.” [Gen 46:2-4] • “ELOHIM, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, THE ELOHIM who has fed me all my life long to this day, THE “Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; let my name be named upon them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; let them grow into a multitude in the earth.” [Gen 48:15-16] • Elohim had cared for him and the Angel had redeemed him from all evil throughout his life. The Angels of His Presence

45. Joseph’s dreams endorsed his character and his way of life • Yahweh was with Joseph, he was a successful man; he was in the house of his master the Egyptian... Yahweh made all he did to prosper in his hand... • Then Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison... Yahweh was with Joseph and showed him mercy, He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. [Gen 39:2-3,20-21] • “Elohim sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, to save your lives by a great deliverance. It was not you who sent me here, but Elohim ; He has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of all his house, ruler throughout Egypt.” [Gen 45:7-8] • Yahweh saved Israel by Joseph, a type of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Angels of His Presence

46. The activity of the Angels then is a pattern for us now. • Their activity as demonstrated in the lives of the Patriarchs is the pattern for the elect of all generations; the Angels are as active in our lives now as they were then. • Most of Yahweh’s work through the Angels has been unseen. Their visible intervention was the exception, and serves to illustrate their continuous ministrations to the heirs of salvation. • In order for us to develop genuine faith it is essential that the Angels not be visible. The Angels of His Presence

47. An Angel appeared to Moses at Horeb. • The Angel of Yahweh appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. When Yahweh saw that he turned aside to look, Elohim called to him from the midst of the bush “I am the Elohim of your father…” • Moses hid his face, he was afraid to look upon Elohim. Yahweh said: “I have surely seen the oppression of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cryI have come down to deliver them…” [Ex 3:2-8] • It’s apparent the Spirit deliberately used the three names Angel, Yahweh, Elohim with no attempt to distinguish between them, because all that the Angels do is equivalent to Yahweh doing it Himself. The Angels of His Presence

48. YAHWEH the Memorial Name. • Elohim said to Moses, “I am who I am”. You shall say to the children of Israel, “I am has sent me to you. Yahweh Elohim of your fathers, the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, has sent me to you. This is my name forever, my memorial to all generations.” [Ex 3:14-15] • Ehyeh asher ehyeh = I will be who I will be. • Ehyeh: The first person singular of the future tense of the verb “to be”. • Asher: The pronoun “who”, singular and plural, masculine and feminine. • “My Memorial Name for the purpose of developing a generation of the race” [Bro Thomas] The Angels of His Presence

49. The presence of the Angel was not sufficient to develop genuine faith. • “This Moses whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ is the one God sent to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the Angel who appeared to him in the bush. [Acts 7:35] • This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, the one who received the living oracles to give to us, whom our fathers would not obey, but rejected; in their hearts they turned back to Egypt. [v38] The Angels of His Presence

50. Yahweh sent destroying Angels to slay the firstborn of Egypt. • Thus says Yahweh: “About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt; and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die...” [Ex 11:4] • At midnight Yahweh struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt. [Ex 12:29] • He cast on them the fierceness of His anger, wrath, indignation... by sending Angels of destruction among them. [Ps 78:49] • The Angels are never elevated above Yahweh; it’s very clear that He is doing it through them. The Angels of His Presence