Angels Among Us, the Son of Man With Us
January 10, 2021 • David Schrock
Did you see what happened in Washington, D.C. this week? I suspect that you did and like all of America, there are mixed emotions of sorrow, anger, dred, and fear, all provoked by the events and images of January 6. The images of protesters storming the capital are likely not to be forgotten anytime soon. At the same time, how to make sense of them and all that led to them, as well as what may come between now and after the inauguration of Joe Biden, is full of uncertainty.
That being said, the truths in Daniel that have comforted us throughout the fall and into the new year remain steadfast and immovable in heaven and on earth. In fact, what we will see this Sunday is not only the sovereignty of God once again, but also the presence of unseen angels warring over the earth. Applied to the present, what we can see in the photos of Washington is not all there is to be seen. Indeed, according to the Bible, some of the greatest realities facing our nation and all nations are unseen beings seeking to deceive, destroy, and disrupt the plans of God.
Praise be to God, this cannot occur! God is reigning in heaven, and even what appears to be the undoing of our country is not the undoing of God’s plans!
With respect to angels, Colossians 1:15 says, God in Christ has created "all things, both in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities.” In other words, there is an unseen realm that has been created by God, appointed by God, and that is accountable to God. Ever since the world was divided into different languages, these angelic beings have been at work in the world. And though we cannot know what they are currently doing—only God can—we can know that they are present and that the warfare of this world is more than simply a matter of flesh and blood.
On Sunday, we will consider this Christian view of the world. In our secular age, the idea of angels is often rejected or ignored. But we cannot make sense of reality, or current events, apart from the angelic realm. Daniel 10 has much to teach on this subject, and as we gather this Sunday, this will be our focus.
So take time to read Daniel 10, as well as Daniel 11–12, and pray for God to open our eyes to see what his Word says about his world. There is more than can be seen with the physical eye, and we need eyes of faith to believe God and to walk by faith in this world. To that end we pray and gather on Sunday.
As the Lord allows, I hope to see you there.
For His Glory and your joy,
Pastor David
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Discussion & Response Questions
1. What evidence is there for angels in the Bible? What do they do, according to Scripture? (See Deuteronomy 32:8–9; 1 Kings 22; Job 1–2; Isaiah 6:1–8; Zechariah 3:1–10; Ephesians 1:21–23; 6:10–19; Hebrews 1:1–2:4)
2. How does the presence of angelic beings inform your worldview and approach to life? How has our modern world made belief in angels difficult?
3. What is Daniel doing when the chapter begins? What does this teach us today, especially as churches remain scattered?
4. Who comes to Daniel? How do we know who this figure is? See Revelation 1:13–16.
5. What does Daniel 10 have to do with Daniel 11–12? How does Daniel 10 prepare us for the final vision? (Hint: Consider how the presence of the Prince of Persia and the Prince of Greece may contribute to the rise and fall of those nations).
6. What do we learn in Daniel 10 about God? Angels? Ourselves? The World?
7. What does this passage teach us about prayer? How might this view of angels inform the way we approach our fallen world?
8. What does this passage teach us about God’s sovereignty? How does that strengthen your faith in these tumultuous days?
