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Angels and Prophets
Prophets or “Nabi” appear throughout history, as have angels. When things get frightening or out of sync or order, when the world seems to be ready to collapse, God steps in because certainly mankind has made a mess of the beauty of this earth and the love we were supposed to share with each other and for all things living and growing around us.
 A prophet is a warner, a guide, a sit down and pay attention kind of person. This is going to happen if you don’t do that - God is coming, so be prepared. Prophets might be teachers, doctors, and probably just trustworthy friends who see one going in the wrong direction and tries to turn them around. In this 4th Advent Sunday, the last before celebrating the Birth of Christ which we all know so well, whether Christian, Muslim or Jew, whether we believe or not, we know Christmas because it is splattered, splashed and shared all over the world.
Sure, things change as mankind experiments with better conditions and easy living and rumors run rapid that the world is coming to an end because things are out of control, like the coronavirus, a foreign bug, so to speak, with too much power. But no one listens to truth. And there are few experts - be they prophets or angels - who are able to get the truth into the hearts of the streets of life because people are stubborn and no one wants to believe. Yet, with all the disasters covering the world these days, we must deal with man’s errors with environment and how they get along with each other, and how they have abused the goodness of life for evil and violence, sex, and abuse and lack of loyalty and trust in their promises even before the Lord.
Angels, too, often seem to be some sort of prophets or rescuer in the Bible, and even life today there have been one on one angel moments in most people’s lives to boost and encourage humans who need them. One summer trip to North Carolina with my 3 little ones (my son was about two), we were wading across a river rapid which suddenly burst big and I got to a point where I could not move any more or my son, heavy in my arms and I would be blown down the river. My two older daughters were safe on a rock. For 15 minutes I cried out for help in this remote forest filled place (no one anywhere) when a young man appeared, came into the river, grabbed my son and my girls and me and put us back on the trail. And he disappeared. I never saw him again anywhere and I knew from that moment that he was an angel of God. It just happens in our lives. Maybe those who have given you a turnaround, changed one’s direction, saved one from disaster - get out of here before the walls cave in sort of things - those are real angels.
But surely the most important angel ever, with The Message of all times was Gabriel who flew down or up or around or however to earth, to the tiny spot called Nazareth, where a simple mid teen virgin, apparently in the sixth month of pregnancy, was chosen to meet him as he brought a super prediction for her. One doesn’t know if she knew she was pregnant or not, up until that moment, if she felt a movement in her stomach, or suffered morning sickness, maybe misinterpreted some sort of flu bug. Were there OBGYN’s in those days who attended to pregnancy or were there only mid-wives? Did she hide out and not tell anyone why her belly was increasing? Did it? Virgin Mary immediately shouted out praise to God for glorifying her soul and her life. Right there in that moment before she even knew the complications of what was happening to her. Praise first. Worry later. God was and always is in control.
In the Old Testament book of Isaiah, we learn about Nathan, a prophet who had the ear of King David, who really needed direction. David, once a handsome shepherd, had powers of a king but had messed up in his morality. It’s ironic that in the book of Samuel I, King David, who had misbehaved terribly with greed and coveting someone else’s wife but apparently reformed his life, had graduated to living correctly and secure in a house built from the enormous cedar trees (no longer present in the Middle East.) King David wanted to praise or give thanks to God and was upset at the fact that he, David, was safe in a cedar-built house, while the ark of God, which must be with them always, was in a tent outside of the castle. But oh, a tent has its good points, which God knew. It can be moved, transported, go anywhere anytime if someone knows how to dismantle it and strap it on the back of a donkey or horse or camel and moved it to wherever it needs to be. A cedar home, a castle or mansion, is stuck where it is. To boot, David was not allowed to construct the temple because he was a man of war and had shed much blood, and God wanted the Temple to be established in peace.
Nathan had presumed it was ok for David to do whatever he wanted to do about housing. But in the night, God spoke to Nathan and said why worry - don’t worry - “I have not lived in a house since we left Egypt but have been residing in a tent and a tabernacle.” Nor had God ever asked for a house of cedar. God reminded him that He took him from shepherding sheep to being prince over his people Israel and he didn’t need a mansion or palace to do it. God had cut off all their enemies and it was in his plan to make David a great name, one of the greatest in history. A to boot, God planned to give a place for his beloved people of Israel so each one would have his own place. and no one would disturb them anymore- no more bugging, abusive, jealous enemies. God will make them a house. Where is that house? Was that what Solomon built?
Now David the King was not perfect. He was a man kind of man. He had a problem with fidelity. No excuse for that nor his whipping his power to make things work the way he wanted it to work. He was easily seduced by one beautiful woman, and since he had power (like men have money and fame these days) David sent her husband off to battle to be killed so he could have what he wanted, that lady Bathsheba. Whether God had planned that or not, allowed it or not, David still became one of the most powerful King’s in history. It seemed to become a pattern for future Kings all over the world. In fact, it should have been a big No-No to those with power. David did lose the original child he was having with Bathsheba, but the second one lived and that was important to our Biblical history.
Adultery cannot be swept under the rug. It is not only a blimp on the soul of a woman who indulges in it, who wants to get rid of her legal husband - who probably was a great soldier and a good guy, because the wealth of David rang like chimes in her head. Life could be so sweet living in that cedar palace with this up and coming handsome, powerful man. It became the affair of the Bible. God forgives David for this mistake, but it was a mistake that made history work out the way God wanted it to work out. We never know but we must learn what is our own desires and reasons to give up on marriage, and what is correct - if there is such a thing. Someone is destroyed in the process.
When a King or Queen interprets this and wants something for himself, it has to have some value. Just look at all the royal kings and queens of history. How many are faithful and upright and correct with God? Very few, in reality. Too much jealousy, too many wars and assassinations. But our Queen Elizabeth II to me is one of the most extraordinary women in all of history. She is straight, respectful, loyal, and powerful and has stood up for righteousness all the way even when her family seemed to be falling apart. It usually pops right back up to righteousness and respect because of her. What an honor it has been to be alive at the time she is the reigning royal in Europe. God bless.
~ Rev
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audrey@audreytaylorgonzalez.com
www.audreytaylorgonzalez.com
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