“THE ANGELIC SONGS OF THE REDEEMED”
By J.Farrell Fisher
In Psalm 91:9-16 (NASB) there is an awesome and amazing revelation about “the redeemed” and their “care-taker angels.” It says: “For you have made the Lord, my refuge, even the Most High your dwelling place. No evil will befall you, nor any plague come near your tent. For He [Holy God] WILL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE CONCERNING YOU, TO GUARD YOU IN ALL YOUR WAYS. They will bear you up in their hands, lest you strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread upon the lion and cobra, the young lion and the serpent (dragon) you will trample down. Because he has loved me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name.
He will call upon Me, and I will rescue him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue and honor him. With a long life I will satisfy him, and let him behold My salvation.”
Has Holy God ‘given His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways? Have YOU ever experienced, been alerted to, aware of, and amazed by His “angelic presence” as the “Redeemed of God”, or just unaware of His angelic ministry?
Are you acquainted with “the heavenly hosts” that surround, stand by, and guard you, as a child of the King, in all your ways? Even though you may see yourself as a fleshly creature of mere existence, God, in His infinite wisdom, mercy, and grace, surrounds you with His ministering and caring angels.
Sadly, most men apart from Christ, are more familiar with demons than they are the caring angels of God for His children!
William Cowper, in his writing entitled “CHARITY”, (1.435), wrote: “When one holds communion with the skies Has filled his urn where these pure waters rise, And once more mingles with us meaner things, ‘Tis’ even as if an angel shook his wings.” HAVE YOU OBSERVED “THE SHAKING OF ANGELS’WINGS”?
I tell you, “Angels’ wings are not fiction but a taste of Holy, Heavenly Presence, with the awesome responsibility of unveiling redemptive faith, not reckless fiction! There’s an old French Proverb that once spoke of “young angel, an old devil.”
Gerald Massey, in his writing, “Ballad of Babe Christabel”, wrote: “In this dim world of clouding cares, We rarely know, till ‘wildered eyes’ See white wings lessening up the skies, The angels with us unawares.”
Don’t you think this is why Hebrews 13:2 tells us, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” Are you not aware that often “the shepherds” who tend God’s flocks are not only pastors but angels?
Skakespeare, in his writing “Hamlet”, spoke of “A ministering angel shall my sister be.” Do you welcome “ministering angels”? Do you remember Mary giving birth to her first-born son? Luke 2:7-14 declares: And she gave birth to her first-born son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.
And in the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields, and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.
And the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
And this will be a sign for you, you will find a baby wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger.” Suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”
But you are unsure about angels attending, watching over, caring for, encouraging every new-born son AND DAUGHTER OF Holy God through Christ Jesus? Religions birth demons – Jesus blesses His children with angels!
Several things we must be aware of concerning “The Angelic Songs of the Redeemed”:
FIRST, IN PSALM 91:11, WE READ IN THE BEGINNING, THAT “GOD WILL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE CONCERNING YOU, TO GUARD YOU IN ALL YOUR WAYS.” Are you at all familiar with “green lights” or “red lights” or “yellow (caution) lights”?
If you’re a Word of God student, you know that in Hebrews 1:13-14, the author declared: “But to which of the angels has He ever said: ‘Sit at My right hand, UNTIL I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet’? Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?”
In Titus 3:5-7 Paul taught Timothy and us, that “He (Christ) saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
And as “eternal insurance” caring God gives us not only His Word but His angels to see us through this dark maze of men’s and the world’s “self-imposed godlessness”!
Whether you as a true believer have heard it or not, whenever trouble comes to a son or daughter of faith, the angels sing about God’s divine protection! They sing of His abiding Presence every step you take in your walk of faith.
When trials come, the angels’ song of triumphant victory is sung, rings out, and covers you! When traps are laid by the powers of darkness, the angels sing about the door of deliverance! When the deep seas and oceans of life erupt in destructive waves by devilish powers, the angels are singing, “Peace be still!”
Can you even begin to imagine the roars of the Heavenly Chorus of Angels when the true believer takes his last breath of earthly, fleshly existence, and is then welcomed by the angelic chorus to the Heavenly Presence around the throne of God and the King of kings?
SECOND, THE ANGELIC SONG OF THE REDEEMED IS THE SONG THAT HONORS THE KING WHO STEPPED DOWN FROM HIS THRONE TO TAKE ON HUMAN FLESH, SERVE THE NEEDY, AND BLESS HIS PEOPLE IN SACRIFICIAL TESTIMONY AND GOD’S TRIUMPHANT WAY OVER SIN AND DEATH!
Do you remember Mary standing outside Jesus’ tomb weeping, and then, as she stooped and looked into the tomb where the body of Jesus had been lying, she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet where the body of Jesus had been lying. Then said to her, “Woman, Mary, why are you weeping?”
She said to the angels, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” Then Jesus appeared to Mary, and she initially didn’t know who the Resurrected Jesus was – she supposed Him to be a gardener! But Jesus spoke: “Mary!”
Dare I tell you, Mary grabbed Jesus and held on and in Hebrew called Him ‘Rabboni’! Graciously Jesus spoke to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father, but go to my brethren, and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.”
John 20:21 says, “Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord, and that He said these things to her.” Do you think she may have sung “a new song”? Maybe B.B. McKinney’s “He Lives On High”? [The American Hymnal, by Robert H. Coleman, Broadman Press, Nashville, Tennessee. 1933].
“Christ the Savior came from heaven’s glory, To redeem the lost from sin and shame; On His brow He wore the thorn-crown glory, and upon Calvary He took my blame.
He arose from death and all its sorrow, To dwell in that land of joy and love; He is coming back some glad tomorrow, and He’ll take all His children home above.
Weary soul, to Jesus come confessing, Redemption from sin He offers you; Look to Jesus and receive the blessing, there is joy and victory!
He lives on high, He lives on high, Triumphant over sin and all its stain; He lives on high, He lives on high; Someday He’s coming again.”
Yes, and He gently knocks on your heart’s door: “Open – and I will come in to sup with you, and you with Me!”
THIRD, THE ANGELIC SON OF THE REDEEMED IS THE SONG OF JOY IN THE PRESENCE OF THE ANGELS OF GOD OVER ONE SINNER WHO REPENTS.” THAT’S LUKE 15:10! A redeemed heart causes the angels to sing! A sinner transformed is the eruption of angelic hymns of praise and thanksgiving! A redeemed life is the key and the eternal note and music of angelic songs of praise and thanksgiving and the Hallelujahs of “Blessed Blood Redemption”!
Heirs of immortality, blessed with Holy Presence, are continually over-shadowed by angelic choruses of thanksgiving and praise! Recipients of Sovereign grace and mercy become the celebration ‘key-notes’ of Heaven’s Eternal Praise, Presence, and awesome angelic choruses of hymns and praise!
Psalm 34:7 declares: “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them.” And you’re unsure that “rescue angels” have a reason for singing?
Have you wrapped your mind, your heart, your spirit, as a redeemed child of God around Psalm 98? Do you think it just might be an angelic song about REDEMPTION? BLOOD REDEMPTION THROUGH THE MESSIAH, EMMANUEL, or “GOD WITH US”?
“O sing to the Lord a new song, For He has done wonderful things, His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him.
The Lord has made known His salvation; He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations. He has remembered His lovingkindness and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; All the lands of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Shout joyfully to the Lord with the lyre; with the lyre and the sound of melody, With trumpets and the sound of the horn Shout before the King, the Lord.
Let the sea roar and all it contains, the world and all those who dwell in it. Let the rivers clap their hands; let the mountains sing for joy Before the Lord; for He is coming to judge the earth; He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.”
HEAR ME!! SINGING HYMNS OF PRAISE is because redeemed sons and daughters of God join in with Heaven’s angels to exalt gratify, rejoice in, thank, and praise the King of kings and Lord of lords who came and sacrificed His life for you and me!
Again, what did Jesus tell the scribes and Pharisees about “one sinner who repents”? Luke 15:10! “I TELL YOU, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Angels sing? Angels rejoice? Angels celebrate THE “Amazing Grace” of a redeemed sinner blessed with the gift of Resurrection Life? Angels gather, angels take their trumpets, their horns of celebration, their drums of unceasing joy and blessing of God’s “new-born” sons and daughters of faith, and they sing?
Angels KNOW THE WORD OF GOD, not the flimsy reasons of pretenders and preachers, yes, many unsure of “everlasting life”? Yes, “there is joy in the presence of God over one sinner who repents.”
Angels HAVE HEARD JESUS SAY OVER AND OVER, (John 10:27-30), “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
FOURTH, THE ANGELS’ SONGS OVER THE REDEEMED ARE, SHOULD BE, MUST BE, THE CONGREGATIONAL SONG OF THE REDEEMED OF GOD’S AWESOME MERCY, OF HIS EMANCIPATING GRACE, AND HIS LIBERATING POWER TO THOSE YOU LOVE, CARE ABOUT, PRAY FOR, AND YOU CELEBRATE IN THE DEVIL’s KIDS BECOMING SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF ETERNAL FAITH AND HOPE, CELEBRATING THE “NEW COUNTENANCE” OF A REDEEMED HISBAND, OR A WANDERING WIFE BROUGHT HOME, SONS AND DAUGHTERS CAPTURED BY THE MASTER’S GRACE AND MERCY POURED OUT THROUGH LOVING PARENTS, OR THE BUSINESS ASSOCIATE ENSLAVED TO THE PASSIONS OF THE UNGODLY, FREED FROM BONDAGE TO CELEBRATE WITH YOU IN JESUS’ EVERLASTING PROMISE OF ONENESS WITH HIM, THE FAMILY OF GOD, AND WITH THE HOLY ANGELS!
Today, God calls for true heroes of saving faith, of the blood redemption through Christ’s Cross, that they be men and women whose heart’s desire is to honor their Master and Lord and Loving God and the Holy Spirit, through their awareness that Christ’s work of redemption is God’s willingness to establish the Kingdom of Heaven ON EARTH through their repentant hearts and their redeemed lives, becoming God’s gathering of born-again believers whose very lives become God’s Throne on earth, and their hearts and homes becoming “open doors” to a needy world.
Does it have to be said of You, “Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night”, because you live with a songless faith or purpose? [Job 35:10].
But what if you know “the angels’ song of TRUST”? Job 13:15, “Though He slay me, I will hope, I will trust in Him.”
HELL MAY ERUPT – BUT HEAVEN ON EARTH OVERCOMES! DEMONS MAY ROAR – BUT ANGELS AND SAINTS REJOICE. FALLEN HUMANITY, CURSED NATION,GODLESS GOVERNMENTS, may celebrate their decadence, but the redeemed of the lord and the heavenly chorus of the angels sing: “AMAZING GRACE”!!