The 7 Angelic Visitations Surrounding the Birth of Christ

7 Words that can be used as a measuring device of all truth:
1. PLACE (Where Jesus dwells in our hearts.)
2. PROOF
3. PROTECTION
4. PEACE
5. POWER
6. PURPOSE
7. PRE-EMINENCE (What the "attention" is focused on)

Some were real physical appearences while others were in dreams.

Their message is a sequence of growth into mature ministry.

This is NOT a study of worshipping of angels...
Col.2:18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

There are over 300 mentions of angels in the bible.

1. The first angelic appearance happened when the angel Gabriel appeared to the father-to-be of John the Baptist, Zacharias, and announced to him that his barren wife, Elizabeth, was to bear a son. Luke 1:11-25 (Now keep in mind as you read Luke, read it and use it in a spiritual application, do not allow you intellect to trip you up.)11And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.12And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 14And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. 16And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. 18And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. 19And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. 20And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. 21And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.
22And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless. 23And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house. 24And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, 25Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men. This son, who was to be called John (Jehovah is gracious) was to introduce the Messiah to the world. Jesus was coming to take His place among men. Through John's preaching of justification, Matthew 3:2-8 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. 5Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, 6And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. 7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
and sanctification, Matthew 3:10-12 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 11I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: 12Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire, he was "to make ready a people prepared for the Lord," Luke 1:17 17And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. A people prepared for the Lord has the Lord in first PLACE in their hearts and lives. Jesus is most conspicuous in our life's as Savior and King or Lord of our daily life when He is most hidden in the innermost PLACE in our heart.

2. Gabriel appeared a second time to a human being. This time to the virgin Mary. He announced to her the news that many a Jewish maid had waited to hear. "And, behold, thou shalt conceive in they womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS....," Luke1:31-33. John the Baptist had been given prewritten message by Isaiah (chapter 40) and by the angel Gabriel in Luke 1:17. The PROOF of the fulfillment of these prophecies came when Mary had personal knowledge that the Messiah was about to be manifested to the world. She knew that soon he would be seen by all men. The physical Jesus was the fruit of Mary. The Spiritual Jesus is the fruit of one who lets Him rule and reign in and through him. The PROOF of Jesus as Messiah and King is when he reigns in actuality in our hearts and life.

3. The first dream in which an angel relayed a message from God to a man concerning the birth of Christ was the angel which appeared to Joeshp while he slept, Matthew 1:20-21. It was prophesied that the Anointed One would be born of a virgin, Isaiah 7:14. Obviously, it was not necessary for Mary to have a husband. Or was it? Joesph, a son of David, afforded PROTECTION for the virgin and the young child. He kept himself from her until after Jesus was born. But Mary, as any woman with child, needed the PROTECTION afforded by a responsible husband. The young child had the PROTECTION of a member of the royal house of David. We become members of the royal, spiritual house when Jesus becomes our personal Saviour. It is then our repsonsibility to care for the young child within by keeping ourselves unspotted from the world, James 1:27, and through prayer, Bible study and church attendance so that He may grow into maturity in us. He will then be able to present us unto Himself as chaste virgins, undefiled by the world, 2Cor.11:2; Eph.5:27, Matt.25:10;John 12:26; Rev.14:4

Intellect in this situation: When Joesph found out Mary was PG, his natural mind took over. An angel had to appear to him to explain things to him. Matt.1:20.

4. The fourth annunciation by the angel of the Lord was made to the shephards in the fields as they kept their flocks of sheep by night, Luke 2:8-14

"......For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.....Glory to God in the highest, and on earth PEACE, good will toward men."

Isaiah 57:21 says, "There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." But Jesus says in Matt.11:28, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." PEACE is possibly only in the perfect will of God. He gives PEACE to those who trust HIM as Saviour in regeneration; He continues to impart PEACE to those who follow Him in sanctification; in the renewing of the Holy Ghost, Titus 3:5. PEACE is not attained or gained as a result of working for it. Jesus says in John 14:6, ....."I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." He says also in verse 27, PEACE I leave you with, my PEACE I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart by troubled, neither let it be afraid." PEACE is found by obeying Jesus...

5. Joesph was instructed a second time in a dream by an angel. This time he was to take Mary and Jesus into Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod. What might have looked like a flight to defeat was a picture of the POWER of God. When God might have destroyed the world again because of apostacy as in Noah's day, He had the POWER to send His Son into Egypt, (THE WORLD) to "redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons," Gal.4:-5. Matt.2:15 says, ....."Out of Egypt have I called My Son." This is a picture of how God calls us out of the world. God has the POWER to call out a remnant of those who love Him and who will become heirs of God through Christ in spite of the blackness of the times.

The wrath of Herod which befell the boy babies under two years old was a picture of the wrath of God which befell Jerusalem in 70 A.D. under Titus. God in His POWER had to send Jesus for it was the, "fullness of the time, "Gal.4:4. God has POWER to send us into the world in like manner as Jesus, John 17:18. 1 John 4:17 says, "Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world."

6. In the next dream that Joesph had, the angel appeared again and gave him three impreative commands of PURPOSE, 1. arise, 2. take and 3 go. Joesph was to arise in the preparation to travel, take the young child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel. The time to grow into maturity had come.

1. Arise: This is a picture of us at justification. Jesus has paid the price for our release from Egyptian (worldly) bondage. He says to us arise, turn from sin and the penalty of sin, John 3:16-18. My blood was shed for the remission of sin, Matt.26:28. A picture of being born again is seen in chemistry when two elements are caused to react through the agency of a catalyst to forum a new substance. The breath of life or spirit of man and the Spirit of Christ and the spirit of man, through the "catalyst" of repentance, react to form the NEW CREATION in man. This take repentance...He changes our desires...As He changes us our "want to's" begin to change. We want to begin to serve Him more and more...

Spirit of Christ 1 Cor.12:13;Rom.8:9,15(OSAS)+Spirit of man Gen.2:7;Job34:14-15;Ecc.3:20-21 YEILDS= NEW CREATION 2Cor.5:17;Rom.8:16;Rom.5:1-11(nature of)

This is a once and for all reaction. God's faithfulness cannot fail, Psalms 89:27-33; 2Tim.2:13; John 10:27-29. The NT contains 30 unconditional promises of everlastining life. Jesus has gained our attention in preparation for a further work. His born again people who are in rebellion, God deals with one way. The unsaved people who are in rebellion He deals with anothe way. Heb. 12:1-7. When we are chastened we have to remember it is NOT wrath.

2. TAKE: Take the young child and his mother. The "young child" is the Christ within a newly born-again Christian. In the natural, a young child must have the nourishment and guidance of it's mother in order to grow into maturity. The same is true of the "young child" in a new Christian. "Mother" here represents the mothering of the Holy Spirit. Sanctification, growing into Spiritual maturity, takes place as we permit the Christ in us to be developed by the nourishment of the Word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit which breaks the power of sin from our life. Only the power of the baptism with the Holy Spirit is sufficient to accomplish the perfect will of God in each and every believer and disciple, Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Acts 1:8

3. GO: Go into the land of Israel, (Glory land). This is the land flowing with milk and honey (two of nature's most nearly perfect foods.) Those disciples who press in for a lion's share of God's best will have a part in ruling and reigning along side the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, 2 Tim.2:12. They are bold as a lion, Prov.28:1; 1 John 4:17. They are those who have permitted the "young child" to grow into maturity within through the nourishment of the Word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Although al lborn again believers will receive a measure of the Glory of God after the second coming of Christ, ony those mature ones will be meet or fit, (prepared) to be in the great marriage of the Lamb to His spotless bride, Rev.19:7-9

7. The seventh visitation from God concerning the birth of Jesus came to Joesph again in a dream, Matt.2:22-23. Matthew does not say the message came through an angel, but it is likely that it did because Joesph had already had 3 dreams in which an angel gave him a message from God about Jesus. In this message, God told Joesph to dwell in the city of Nazareth. Jesus would be called a Nazarene or Nazarite because as a resident of teh city of Nazareth, a quiet out of the way place, He would fulfill the OT vows of a Nazarite.

The Nazarite took 4 vows. Each vow pictured a facet of the holy, consecrated, seperated and peculiar life of Jesus in His ministry and of those who would follow Him all the way.

1. The first vow: "He shall seperate himself from wine and strong drink, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes or dried. All the days of his seperation, shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine of the tree, from the kernals even to the husk, Numbers 6:3-4. Repeated concerning Samson and his mother, "Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing, Judges 13:4. Result before God, "Her (Jerusalem's) Nazarites were purer than snow, Lam.4:7. Repeated and demonstrated in John the Baptist, "Luke 1:15. Illustrated by Paul in Eph.5:18

The first vow was that of total dedication from birth through the entire life-time. This meant' a complete setting apart from the world. Abstaining from drinking or eating anything pertaining to wine, grapes or the grapevine was a symbol of keeping out the deceiving worldly wisdom. We become clean and pure by allowing the Holy Spirit to cleanse us from the attitude of sin (through the Blood), from individual sins and the effects of sins (through the broken body of Jesus); the 7 covenants of Calvary, Isa.53:4-7; Ps. 103:2-6; Rom. 8.

Snow is symbol of purity before the Lord. Isa.1:18. Ps.51:7.

The first vow is summarized by Paul, "Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purity unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works, Titus 2:14.

2. The second vow: Num.6:5. Repeated concerning Samson, Judges 13:5. The secret of Samson's strength, Judges 16:17. Result before God, Lam.4:7

The second vow was total acceptance or a belief in each and evey promise of God. The result of total acceptance of every provision of God brings a deeper consecration, a constant infilling and overflowing of the Spirit in Power which sees miracles. The long hair of the Nazarite was an outward symbol of a deep inward and outflowing consecration. A deep consecration is our perfect Spiritual nourishment just as milk is one of nature's most nearly perfect foods for physical nourishment. The Spirit writes God's law on the fleshly tablet of the heart" 2Cor.3:3, causing truth to become experience.

The second vow was summarized by Paul 1 Cor.2:4-5.

3. The third vow. Num.6:6 Verse 7-12 tell what they were to do in case they came upon a dead body. Why were they not allowed to view a dead body is seen in Judges 13:5 concerning Samson. Result before God, Lam.4:7. Illustrated and demonstrated in John the Baptist, Luke 1:80. And in Jesus in Luke 2:52.

The third vow required total discipline. The body is the instrument through which the soul expresses itself controlled by the Spirit. Life is to be ministred through the medium of the physical body. The Nazarite was not be associated with physical death in any way while taking the vows. But in the age, the grace age, the Spirit can minister life in the face of death and take the sting out of death, 1 Cor. 15:55. The body is most effective as an instrument of expression when it is kept in good health. God has made certain natrual, nutrition laws and other laws of actitivity which we must "strive lawfully" in if we would be crowned in mastery 2 Tim.2:5; and to have a body "more ruddy (healthy).....than rubies." Part of the process of taking dominion over the body is acomplished through learning and performing well certain physical habits and skills. An obedient body is evidence of a clear and emotionally healthy mind. Paul commands TOTAL DISCIPLINE, "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection; least that by any means, when I have preached to other, I myself should be a castaway."

"And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature" shows that a healthy mind is a part of a healthy body. We are to feed our mind only that which builds it spiritually. Mentally we are to what we read and study. Paul tells us to , "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth, 2Tim.2:15.

The best time to begin to learn mental and physical disclipine is as a small child taught and guided by wise and God fearing parents. Soloman says, "Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it,: Prov.22:6. A well disciplined child whose will is submitted unto his parents will find it much easier to submit his will unto God when God calls him. It will be the normal thing for him to do because he has been taught the things of God from the beginning.

James tells us to, "Submit yourselves, therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you, James 4:7." This is a channel of dominion.

The third vow is summerized by Paul, "Therefore, brethern, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if you live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are leada by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." Rom. 8:12-14...

TOTAL SERVICE is the 4th vow. The PRE-EMINENCE of God in our life is seen when our every action speaks life and light to men of good will in this world of death and darkness. This is graphically illustrated in the lives of the Narazites, Samson, John the Baptist and Jesus. "And he (Samson) shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, (wanderers), Judges 13:5. God delivers people, through us as fully yielded ministers, from wandering in the quamire of religious confusion. The people ceased being "wanderers" in worldly bondage and become "wonderers" at the glory of God in their own experience. "And he (Samson) judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years," Judges 15:20. Samson's ministry showed a sense of great responsiblity. "So the dead which he slew at his death (3000) were more than they which he slew in his life, Judges 16:30. It is an honor from God to be an instrument of of His vengenence when LEAD BY THE SPIRIT. For when God removes those who minister death it is life and peace and health to those who love Him, Pro.11:10. Ps.149:6-9 says, "Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two edged sword in their hand; to execute vengence upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute upon them the judgment written; this honour have all his saints. Praise ye Lord." the (mature) apostles, Peter, was such as instrument in the case of Ananias and Sapphira, Acts 5:1-11.

"And he (John the Baptist) came into all the country about Jordon, preaching the batptism of repentence for the remission of sins;....Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight." Luke 3:3-4. Many people repented of their sin and were baptized. The way of the Lord was prepared in the hearts of many.

"Therefore will I divide Him (Jesus) a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out His soul unto death; and he was numbered with the transgressors; and He bare the sins of many, and made intercession for the trangressors, Isa.53:12. Jesus is our supreme, incomparable example of TOTAL SERVICE. Of a truth He did grow to maturity. he did indeed fulfill the prophecies of Isaiah, the vows of a Nazarite and all the other prophecies concerning His ministry and service.

The 4th vow was recorded originally in Num.6:13-20 is, "And this is the law of the Nazarite, when the days of his seperation are fulfilled; he shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation," (v 13). Verses 14-20 describes all manner of the sacrifice to be offered. In John 10:9 Jesus says, "I am the Door; by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." When we minister unto the "Door" as mature ministers, He will then minister unto the needs of the congregation through us by the Spirit. Each individual becomes a tabernacle (dwelling place) of God. "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fifly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord; in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit, "Eph.2:19-22. The temple was a stable and permanent pattern of the tabernacle. It remained so long as the people sought God and performed His will His way. Doinng God's will God' way is Divine Order.

The Nazarite was to offer all manner of sacrifice upon the fulfillment of teh Nazarite vows. This was part of his ministry before the Lord. Likewise we must make all manner of sacrifices in following Him all the way. "And after that (after the sacrifices were offered) the Nazarite may drink wine." Num.6:20. Jesus the Nazarite drank the cup foreordained for Him, Matt.26:39, 42. Because He was obedient we are able to have our cup of salvation running over, Ps.23:5; 116:13. This speaks of full salvation; justification for the spirit, sanctification for the soul, and glorification for the body.

"Their polishing was of sapphire stone", Lam 4:7. Sapphire stone speaks of radiating the very glory of God itself from deep within the innermost being ( a constant consecration). The throne of God is made of sapphire and reflects His Glory, Ex.24:10; Ezek1:26; 10:1. This is the picture of the way we are to reflect His Glory by the Spirit. "Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to burst like a new bottle." Job 32:19. "He that believeth on me, as teh scripture hath said, out of the belly shall flow rivers of the living water. (But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive; for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) John 7:38, 39. "his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires:", Song of Sol. 5:14.

TOTAL SERVICE is summerized by Simon Peter, "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ," 1 Peter 2:5

TOTAL DEDICATION, ACCEPTANCE DISCPLINE and SERVICE are the 4 keys cornerstones of the Christian ministry which the Communists have stolen and are using to take peace from the earth, Rev.6:4. This patteren works for good or evil. Let us steal away to Jesus; let Him control our every move. When the imitation comes in like a flood we will rise with the tide asa overcomers to rule and reign with Christ in the Millennial Reign which shall establish PEACE in the earth among all peoples.