TEST THE BIBLE

The Scriptures are full of the supranatural. The only cure for the materialism of the present day is to discover what the Scriptures reveal as to the "Spirit World." There is but a step from the "natural" world to the "spirit" world.

 

The dividing veil is our fleshy bodies. The "Heavenlies" are peopled with spirit beings. They are of two classes, good and evil. They are classified as "Seraphim," "Cherubim," "Angels" (good and bad), "Principalities," "Powers," "Age Rulers of Darkness," "Wicked Spirits" (Eph 6:12), "Thrones," "Dominions" (Col 1:16), "Fallen Angels" (2 Pet 2:4), "Spirits in Prison" (1 Pet 3:18-20), "Demons," "Seducing Spirits" (1 Tim 4:1).

 

The Angels are "innumerable in number" (Heb 12:22). They are "mighty in power" but not almighty (2 Thes 1:7). They excel in strength. One angel destroyed 185,000 of the Assyrian army in a night. An angel rolled away the stone from the tomb of Christ, and one angel shall bind Satan and cast him into the bottomless pit. They are "glorious" beings (Luke 9:26), and have "great knowledge," but are not omniscient. The Angels are "Ministering Spirits" to them who are "heirs of salvation," (Heb 1:13-14), and "Executioners of God's Wrath" on the wicked (2 Thes 1:7-8). They will gather the "elect of Isreal" from the four corners of the earth (Matt 24:31), and are commissioned to supply the physical needs of God's people (Matt 4:11; 1 Kings 19:4-8).

 

Among the "Principalities and Powers" of the spirit world there are three great leaders:

 

1. Michael

- He is mentioned three times in Daniel (Dan 10:13,21; 12:1), where he is called a "Prince" who stands for Daniel's people, Isreal. He is called in Jude 9 the Archangel. In Rev. 12:7 he is seen in command of the angelic "Army of Heaven." His work seems to be to deliver God's people, particularly Isreal, from the power of Satan, and finally to oust him and his angels from the Heavenlies, and cast them down on to the earth (Rev 12:7-9). He also has something to do with the resurrection of the dead, for he is associated with the "Resurrection" mentioned in Daniel 12:1,2, and contested with the Devil the resurrection of Moses (Jude 9), and the "voice" of the Archangel that will be heard when the "Dead in Christ" shall rise (1 Thes 4:16), will be the "voice" of Michael, for he is the only archangel mentioned in the Scriptures.

 

2. Gabriel

- He is mentioned by name four times. In Daniel twice, and in Luke twice. He seems to be associated with the redemptive work of God. He appeared to Daniel (Dan 8:16; 9:21-27), to inform him as to the "time" of Christ's "First Coming," and when the "time had come" he announced to Zacharias the birth of Christ's "Forerunner"---John the Baptist, and later to Mary the birth of Jesus (Luke 1:19, 26, 27). His position in Heaven is lofty, for he said of himself to Zacharias, "I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God."

 

3. Satan

- We speak of Satan last not because he is the least of the three, for in many ways he is the greatest, but because of his evil character. He is the source of all the anarchy and rebellion in the universe. From what has been said we see that the heavens above us are peopled with "Principalities and Powers of Evil," against which we are warned in Eph 6:12. Job declared that the heavens are not clean in God's sight. Job 15:15. But God will cleanse them , as we shall see, so that Christ and His Bride, the Church, may dwell there safely during the Millennial Reign of Christ.

 

 

Excerpt from The Spirit World by Rev. Clarence Larkin.

 

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