Bible Readings for the Home Circle Part 150

"A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him: _thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him_: the judgment was set, and the books were opened." Dan. 7:10.

NOTE.-Since the angels are our ministering spirits, and our lives are open before them, it is reasonable to infer that they make the record of our lives. Then when the books are examined, they will of necessity be present, to minister before G.o.d.

36. What does Christ promise overcomers?

"He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but _I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels_." Rev. 3:5.

37. What protection has G.o.d promised His people during the seven last plagues?

"There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For _He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone_." Ps. 91:10-12.

38. When Christ comes, who will come with Him, and what will they do?

"For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father _with His angels_." "And _they shall gather together His elect_ from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." Matt. 16:27; 24:31.

39. Where will all the saints then go?

"Then we which are alive and remain _shall be caught up together with them in the clouds_, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 1 Thess. 4:17.

NOTE.-We shall then have the privilege of seeing and conversing not only with the good and blest of all ages, but with the angels who have ministered to us during our earthly pilgrimage.

O, may Thine angels, while I sleep, Around my bed their vigils keep; Their love angelical instil, Stop every avenue of ill!

May they celestial joys rehea.r.s.e, And thought to thought with me converse.

BISHOP KENT.

The Dark Ministries Of Bad Angels

[Ill.u.s.tration.]

Satan's Entrance To Eden. "The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me." John 14:30.

1. Against whom do we wrestle?

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but _against princ.i.p.alities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness_ [margin, _wicked spirits_] in high places [margin, heavenly places]." Eph. 6:12.

NOTE.-"The facts of history concur with the statements of revelation in forcing upon us the unwelcome conviction that the human race is subject to the malevolent influence of an organized and all-pervading demonism. Alike in the career of nations and in the phenomena of personal destiny the presence of demoniacal skill and power is often prominent, frequently dominant, always evil."-_"__Footprints of Angels in Fields of Revelation__"__ by E.

A. Stockman, page 2._

2. To what place were the angels that sinned cast?

"For if G.o.d spared not the angels that sinned, but _cast them down to h.e.l.l_ [Greek, _tartarus_, a place of darkness], and delivered them into _chains of darkness_, to be reserved unto judgment." 2 Peter 2:4.

3. What is Satan himself called?

"The _G.o.d of this world_." 2 Cor. 4:4. "The _prince of this world_." John 14:30. "The _prince of the power of the air_." Eph. 2:2.

4. How numerous are these wicked spirits, or fallen angels?

"And He asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is _Legion_: for we are _many_." Mark 5:9.

5. What is the chief occupation of Satan and his angels?

"And He was there in the wilderness forty days, _tempted of Satan_." Mark 1:13. "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, _seeking whom he may devour_." 1 Peter 5:8.

See Rev. 12:9, 12; 16:14.

NOTES.-"In undiminished possession of their intelligence and strength, they constantly a.s.sault us in every weakness, through every avenue, by every means, by methods foul or fair.... Whom they cannot destroy they cease not to worry, torment. They inspire evil tempers; arouse dark pa.s.sions; instil ill will; beget malice, envy; impose care, fear, distrust; suggest deceit, fraud, and all the forms of crime." "Supremely do they revel in the criminal domain. They foster falsehood, incite revenge, fan jealousy, beget quarrels, help on thefts, robbery, and arson, further divorces, plan defalcations, instigate murders. They run the saloons and edit the _Police News_."-_"__Footprints of Angels in Fields of Revelation,__"__ pages 9, 10, 22._

6. What are we admonished not to do?

"Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: _neither give place to the devil_." Eph. 4:26, 27.

NOTE.-Those who give vent to anger or retain old grudges, who parley with temptation or tamper with vice, who indulge in intemperance, pride, foolishness, or levity, or give way to any other weakness, give place to the devil; that is, they give the devil an opportunity to work through them-give him an advantage over them. We should therefore close every avenue to Satan and his angels. We should suppress anger, be sober and watchful, and nip in the bud every prompting to sin.

7. What spirits stand ever ready to deceive and ruin those who are off guard or bent on going astray?

"And the Lord said, Who shall persuade [margin, deceive] Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?... _And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will persuade him._ And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and _I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets_. And He said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so." 1 Kings 22:20-22. See 2 Thess. 2:10, 11.

8. With what were many possessed in Christ's time?

"And they brought unto Him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were _possessed with devils_."

Matt. 4:24.

NOTE.-Vampire-like, evil angels take possession of, and make their abode with, all over whose minds and bodies they can gain control.

Only through Christ can this demoniacal captivity be broken. Until this is done, one in this condition is led captive by Satan "at his will." His self-control and power to resist temptation are gone. See 2 Tim. 2:26.

9. How do evil spirits sometimes treat those thus possessed?

"And as he was yet a coming, _the devil threw him down, and tare him_."