Funerals can be a challenging time, and it makes sense that there is grief. God didn’t build us to die; He created with the intention that Adam and Eve would live forever in perfect bliss. The death of a loved one is jolting. We must live the rest of our lives on earth without this beloved person with us, and this is completely out of our control. What is more, death is a reminder that we ourselves are mortal. Each of us will die unless the Lord returns within our lifetime. The only thing worse than physical death is eternal death.
At the same time, funerals can be times of joy amidst the pain and loss. The Christian has won the victory over sin, death, and the power of the devil through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Funerals can also be opportunities for pastors to teach. One teaching opportunity that arises relates to the state of the Christian following death. I often hear people say, “He earned his wings; he’s in heaven now.” Or, “She is an angel now.” These statements are well intentioned, but false nonetheless.
Two accounts that demonstrate this truth are the story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19–31) and the transfiguration (Matthew 17:1–13). The rich man languished in hell as himself. Moses and Elijah had long before gone to heaven but returned as themselves.
While angels can take the form of people, they are spirits. God created them this way. Humans, on the other hand, are created with bodies and souls. At death, the body remains on the earth, and the soul moves immediately to heaven or hell. When Christ returns, all human beings will rise from the grave and their souls will be rejoined to their resurrected bodies. After the judgment, the angels will welcome the embodied believers to heaven and take unbelievers to hell. To boot, we recall that Christ Himself rose with a glorified body and returned to heaven.
It’s vital to realize that while God created the angels to be mighty and magnificent, He intended human beings to enjoy an even higher place. God breathed life into Adam, not the angels. Jesus died for human beings, not the angels. To be our Savior, Christ took on human flesh, not the form of an angel.
On this feast of St. Michael and All Angels, we marvel at Michael’s power as he vanquishes the dragon, who is Satan. Satan and his angels, unable to contend with Michael, are cast down onto the earth. Our passage in Revelation 12 recounts this spectacular event:
And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.” (v. 10)
One purpose in Revelation is to comfort Christians who are suffering persecution for their faith. Revelation in numerous places asserts the victory Christians have over death. Even if the world kills them for their faith in Jesus, they have everlasting life in heaven. Additionally, as the verse indicates, Satan can no longer accuse the saints before God. As Christians, we are washed in the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. As God’s Son has died and risen, Satan can no longer bring charge against us. God is satisfied in the payment Jesus made at the cross.
And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. (v. 11)
As well as remembering the way God made angels, we must keep in mind that their power and very existence come from God Himself and not fall into the temptation of thinking that the angels are gods themselves. The word angel comes from the Greek and means “messenger.” Indeed, God does use the angels to bring messages to people. The angel Gabriel announced the coming of Jesus to Mary. Angels brought the good news of Jesus’ birth to the shepherds. Angels serve God’s people in other ways, including protection and deliverance. Psalms 91 and 34 speak of the Lord’s angels guarding His people. An angel brought the apostle Peter out of prison. Angels also glorify the Lord and rejoice when sinners repent. They serve the Lord’s people.
We do well to consider angels as the Lord created them, no higher or lower than the place and role the Lord has assigned. There are some who consider angels to have such immense glory and power as to be worthy of worship. This is forbidden and wicked. The First Commandment makes clear that we are to have no other gods than the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There is no sin in praying to God through Christ to send His angels for our care. Yet, the prayer is always to God through and for the sake of Christ. As stated above, angels act by God’s direction. There is a lesson to be learned from the fall of the dragon—never think that an angel, even one like Lucifer, should be considered like God.
Angels of the Lord operate in heaven and on earth. Satan and his angels, or demons if you like, also operate on earth. Yet, Satan and his angels are beaten. A wonderful seminary professor of mine stated that the devil is the Lord’s devil—not that Satan is associated with God but rather that the devil has no free will apart from the Lord’s allowance.
The Feast of St. Michael and All Angels is a celebration of the Lord’s wonderful creation and the care He provides for the saints through the angels. Yet, it’s ultimately a celebration of Jesus. By His blood we are washed of sin and declared to be righteous. Satan no longer has claim on us. Like the saints who suffered persecution, as recorded in our reading, we have the final victory in Christ. When Jesus returns, Satan and his angels will be cast into hell, never to be heard again. God’s children, along with St. Michael and the other angels, will praise the Lamb for all eternity.
Scripture: ESV®