The angel of the Lord

March 5, 2020

The angel of the Lord (Acts 5:19)

“But during the night,

An angel of the Lord

Opened

The prison doors.

He brought them out.”

Ἄγγελος δὲ Κυρίου διὰ νυκτὸς ἤνοιξε τὰς θύρας τῆς φυλακῆς ἐξαγαγών τε αὐτοὺς

The author of Acts indicated that during the night (διὰ νυκτὸς), an angel of the Lord (Ἄγγελος δὲ Κυρίου) opened (ἤνοιξε) the prison doors (τὰς θύρας τῆς φυλακῆς).  He then led them or brought them out (ἐξαγαγών τε αὐτοὺς) of prison.  The angel of the Lord was a mediator between God and humans.  These angels will appear often in Acts to assist, intervene, or instruct this early Christian community.  This angel helped these apostles to escape from this local prison in Jerusalem.  Would you ever try to escape from prison?

March 8, 2018

A third dream for Joseph (Mt 2:19-2:19)

“When Herod died,

An angel of the Lord

Appeared in a dream

To Joseph,

In Egypt.”

 

Τελευτήσαντος δὲ τοῦ Ἡρῴδου, ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος Κυρίου φαίνεται κατ’ ὄναρ τῷ Ἰωσὴφ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ

 

When King Herod died (Τελευτήσαντος δὲ τοῦ Ἡρῴδου) around 4 BCE, the angel of the Lord again appeared (ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος Κυρίου φαίνεται) to Joseph (τῷ Ἰωσὴφ) for the 3rd time in a dream (κατ’ ὄναρ), while he was still in Egypt (ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ). God, the Father, was continuing to communicate with Joseph via the angel of the Lord, God, in dreams.

March 4, 2018

Joseph wakes up from his dream (Mt 1:24-1:24)

“When Joseph awoke

From his sleep,

He did

As the angel of the Lord

Commanded him.

He accepted Mary

As his wife.”

 

ἐγερθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰωσὴφ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕπνου ἐποίησεν ὡς προσέταξεν αὐτῷ ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου, καὶ παρέλαβεν τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ·

 

Joseph woke up from his sleep (ἐγερθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰωσὴφ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕπνου), when he had this dream about the angel of the Lord. Then he did (ἐποίησεν) what the angel of the Lord (ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου) had told him or commanded him (ὡς προσέταξεν αὐτῷ) to do. Joseph took the word of the Lord’s messenger angel very seriously. He saw it as a command, something that he must do. Thus, he changed his mind about his future engaged wife. He was going to receive or accept Mary as his wife (παρέλαβεν τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ), despite his previous misgivings. Clearly, Joseph was a man of faith who trusted in the words of the unnamed angel of the Lord that he had heard in his dream.

September 24, 2017

The angel takes Habakkuk to Babylon (Dan 14:35-14:36)

“Habakkuk said.

‘Sir!

I have never seen Babylon.

I know nothing

About the den.’

Then the angel

Of the Lord

Took him

By the crown

Of his head.

He carried him

By his hair,

With the speed

Of the wind.

He set him down

In Babylon,

Right over the den.”

This prophet Habakkuk rightly said that he knew nothing about Babylon or any lion’s den. He had no idea of where he was to go. The angel of the Lord had a quick answer. He took Habakkuk by the hair on the crown of his head. He carried him away with the speed of the wind to Babylon, right over the lion’s den where Daniel was. That was a simple solution to a big transportation problem.