(267) – WORSHIP OF ANGELS II

267 – WORSHIP OF ANGELS II

The apostle Paul emphatically declared: “Let no one rob you of your prize by a voluntary humility and worshipping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind” (Col. 2:18). Paul wrote this letter to the Colossians, that is, the Christians of the church established by Epaphras in the city of Colossae, situated in Minor Asia. In the text above, Paul recommends lots of care with the worship of angels in the church. The history of the Church does not register any case of this worship in the Old Testament. Since Jehovah took Israel as his people, and delivered it from Egypt by the hand of Moses, he demanded exclusive worship. Whoever worshipped another god would die. “Hear, O Israel! Jehovah is our God, Jehovah is one” (Deut. 6:4). “He who sacrifices to any god, other than to Jehovah alone, shall be utterly destroyed” (Ex. 22:20).Jehovah did not forgive whoever worshipped another god (Ex. 20:3-5; Deut. 13:11). To this day the Jews wait for the Messiah of Jehovah (Mashia Ben Juseff). Let us biblically analyze, without any personal opinion — only citing texts — the nature of Jehovah, beginning by the Mount Sinai, when the people received the Law:

It was Jehovah who personally spoke at the Mount Sinai: “Moses went up to God, and Jehovah called to him out of the mountain, saying, ‘This is what you shall tell the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice, and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession from among all peoples; for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.’ Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which Jehovah commanded him. All the people answered together, and said, ‘All that Jehovah has spoken we will do.’ Moses reported the words of the people to Jehovah. Jehovah said to Moses, ‘Behold, I come to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you forever.’ Moses told the words of the people to Jehovah. Jehovah said to Moses, ‘Go to the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments, and be ready against the third day; for on the third day Jehovah will come down in the sight of all the people on Mount Sinai’” (Ex. 19:3-11). “Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God; and they stood at the lower part of the mountain. Mount Sinai, all it, smoked, because Jehovah descended on it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice. Jehovah came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. Jehovah called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. Jehovah said to Moses, ‘Go down, warn the people, lest they break through to Jehovah to gaze, and many of them perish’” (Ex. 19:17-21). Soon after it, in the chapter twenty of Exodus, Jehovah dictates the Ten Commandments in an audible voice (Ex. 20:1-17). When Jehovah finished speaking, the text says that Moses got to the darkness where Jehovah was (Ex. 20:21). But the apostle John declares that God, the Father, is light, and there is no darkness in him (1 John 1:5). How can light hide in darkness, if light sends darkness away? Only if light is put out. In the New Testament we read that Jesus is light, and whoever is near sees the light, is illuminated, and walks in the light (John 8:12; 12:46). And Jesus declared that while light is present, it floods the atmosphere, and darkness returns only when light goes away (John 12:35). In this text Jesus affirms that whoever walks in darkness does not know where he is going. Jehovah, though, is in darkness. There are other texts that reveal that Jehovah was in darkness when he dictated the Ten Commandments (Deut. 4:10-13; 5:22-23). In the book of Hebrews we read that the darkness were so terrible, that the people could not stand those words of Jehovah, and Moses was trembling and astonished (Heb. 12:18-21). The fact is that the angels of darkness were hiding together with Jehovah in that darkness. Stephen, the first martyr of Christianity, declared the following words when the priests were judging him: “You who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it” (Acts 7:53). And they, hearing this, got furious, and began gnashing their teeth at him. The apostle Paul reveals the same in his letter to the Galatians.“What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the seed should come to whom the promise has been made. It was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator” (Gal. 3:19). This means that Moses was a mediator between the angles and Israel. In the book to theHebrews we read that the angels spoke the law on the Mount Sinai (Heb. 2:2). Stephen also confirmed this, saying about Moses:  “This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness together with the angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai” (Acts 7:38).

Now, if Jehovah spoke on Mount Sinai, and Stephen and Paul agree that it was an angel, this angel was Jehovah, and for this reason he hid in darkness, so that the people would not find out, for there were with him other angels of darkness.

Jacob also knew that Jehovah was a name of an angel. Let us look at this: When Jacob returned to his land after twenty years, he fought with an angel during the night until it dawned. That man touched the hollow of his thigh during the fight. And the man begged Jacob with these words: “‘Let me go, for the day breaks.’ Jacob said, ‘I won’t let you go, unless you bless me.’ He said to him, ‘What is your name?’ He said, ‘Jacob.’ He said, ‘Your name will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have fought with God and with men, and have prevailed’” (Gen. 32:24-28). This man who changed Jacob’s name to Israel is Jehovah, for in Gen. 35 we read: “God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan Aram, and blessed him. God said to him, ‘Your name is Jacob. Your name shall not be Jacob any more, but your name will be Israel.’ He named him Israel (Gen. 35:9-10). For the prophet Hosea reveals that the god who fought with Jacob was an angel. Let us read: “In the womb he took his brother by the heel; and in his manhood he contended with God. Indeed, he struggled with the angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication to him. He found him at Bethel, and there he spoke with us, even Jehovah, the God of Armies; Jehovah is his name of renown!” (Hos. 12:3-5). There are no doubts about it. Jehovah is an angel who wants to look as god in the eyes of the people Israel.

When Paul refers to the worship offered to the angels, he refers to Jehovah, who is one of them, for if in Israel there was never the worship of angels, and Paul declares that there was, and they only worshipped Jehovah, the worship of angels was the worship dedicated to Jehovah. The great apostle declared: “Let no one therefore judge you in eating, or in drinking, or with respect to a feast day or a new moon or a Sabbath day, which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ’s. Let no one rob you of your prize by a voluntary humility and worshipping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind” (Col. 2:16-18). And Paul continues shedding light in the darkness: “I marvel that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different ‘good news’; and there isn’t another ‘good news.’ Only there are some who trouble you, and want to pervert the Good News of Christ. But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you any ‘good news’ other than that which we preached to you, let him be cursed” (Gal. 1:6-8).

The same Paul says that there are two Gospels: The gospel of uncircumcision, and the gospel of circumcision (Gal. 2:7). These two gospels are the gospel of the law of Jehovah, and the gospel of the grace of God the Father and of Christ (Titus 2:11; 2 Cor. 8:9). Whoever worships Jehovah as god and adores him establishes the gospel of circumcision of Jehovah, and whoever worships and adores only Jesus Christ establishes the Gospel of grace. Paul declares that whoever accepts the gospel of the circumcision of Jehovah is outside of Christ, and fell off the grace (Gal. 5:1-4). And he says more: “But these things don’t count; nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to fully testify to the Good News of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24).

There is one certain thing. Those, like us, who accept the Gospel of grace of God love everyone, pray for everyone, and help everyone, even our pursuers. But those who adore Jehovah as god persecute those who found that Jehovah is an angel, condemn mercilessly, and hope that the curse of Jehovah kills them. The difference between light and darkness is vast.

 

by Pastor Olavo Silveira Pereira

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