Psalm 130 Poem by Isaac Watts

 

Seven Archangels

 

The concept of Seven Archangels is found in some works of early Jewish literature and in Christianity. In those texts, they are referenced as the angels who serve God directly.

The Catholic Church venerates seven archangels: in Latin Christianity, three are invoked by name (Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael) while the Eastern Catholic Churches name seven. Lutheranism and Anglicanism's traditions generally recognize four known archangels: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and sometimes Uriel. Non denominational Protestant churches often venerate only Gabriel and Michael.

In parts of Oriental Orthodox Christianity and Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Eight Archangels may be honoured, including Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, as well as Salathiel, Jegudiel, Barachiel, and Jeremiel (in the Coptic tradition, the latter four are named as Surael, Sakakael, Sarathael, and Ananael). The Eight Archangels are commemorated on the Feast of the Archangels.

Saint Michael the Archangel, Archangel Michael and Saint Michael the Taxiarch is an archangel in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and the Baháʼí Faith. The earliest surviving mentions of his name are in third- and second-century-BC Jewish works, often but not always apocalyptic, where he is the chief of the angels and archangels, and he is the guardian prince of Israel and is responsible for the care of Israel. Christianity conserved nearly all the Jewish traditions concerning him, and he is mentioned explicitly in Revelation 12:7–12, where he does battle with Satan, and in the Epistle of Jude, where the author denounces heretics by contrasting them with Michael.

  

In the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the Baháʼí Faith), Gabriel is an archangel with the power to communicate God's will to humanity. He is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, the Quran and the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. Many Christian traditions – including Eastern Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Lutheranism, and Anglicanism – revere Gabriel as a saint.

 

Raphael ("God has healed") is an archangel first mentioned in the Book of Tobit and in 1 Enoch, both estimated to date from between the 3rd and 2nd century BCE. In later Jewish tradition, he became identified as one of the three heavenly visitors entertained by Abraham at the Oak of Mamre. He is not named in either the New Testament or the Quran, but later Christian tradition identified him with healing and as the angel who stirred waters in the Pool of Bethesda in John 5:2–4, and in Islam, where his name is Israfil, he is understood to be the unnamed angel of Quran 6:73, standing eternally with a trumpet to his lips, ready to announce the Day of Judgment. In Gnostic tradition, Raphael is represented on the Ophite Diagram.

  

Uriel, Auriel ("El/God is my flame" or Oriel is the name of one of the archangels who is mentioned in the post-exilic rabbinic tradition and in certain Christian traditions. He is well known in the Russian Orthodox tradition and in folk Catholicism (in both of which he is considered to be one of the seven major archangels) and recognised in the Anglican Church as the fourth archangel. He is also well known in European esoteric medieval literature. Uriel is also known as a master of knowledge and archangel of wisdom.

Saint Selaphiel the Archangel or Saint Sealtiel, Selatiel, or Selathiel ( "I have asked God") is one of the archangels in Eastern Orthodox traditions. Selaphiel appears in verse 31:6 of the 6th century apocryphal Christian text The Conflict of Adam and Eve, which describes how God sends him and Suriyel to help rescue Adam and Eve from Satan’s deception, commanding Selaphiel “to bring them down from the top of the high mountain and to take them to the Cave of Treasures.” Some Christian traditions consider Selaphiel as the angel in Revelation 8:3–4 in the New Testament, who presents the prayers of people on Earth to God in heaven: "Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand."

Jegudiel ("God is One"), also known as Saint Iehudiel, is one of the seven Archangels is the patron of all who work in some field of endeavor, and the crown he holds symbolizes the reward for successful spiritual labors.

Along with his subordinate angels, he is the advisor and defender of all who work in positions of responsibility to the glory of God, and as such is resorted to by kings, judges, and others in positions of leadership. Jegudiel is also known as the bearer of God's merciful love and also an angel over Friday. Considered one of the seven archangels in a variant Catholic system, which pairs each archangel with a specific day of the week and attribute. With regard to the history of the archangel's name, it is thought to have first been mentioned in the non canonical Book of Enoch between 130 BC and 68 AD.

Barachiel ("God has blessed"), also known as Barakel, is one of the Archangels in Judaism, as well as Byzantine Catholic and Eastern Orthodox tradition. He is the Archangel of Blessings.

In the Third Book of Enoch, he is described as one of the angelic princes, with a myriad of some 496,000 ministering angels attending him. He is described in the Almadel of Solomon as one of the chief angels of the first and fourth chora. In Jewish tradition, he is often associated with blessings, the planet Jupiter, and the Sephirah of Chesed.

The Hebrew name Jerahmeel ("God shall have mercy"), had a very dour yet comforting duty in the pre-Christian eras. He is mentioned in Chapter 20 of the Book of Enoch written around [300 B.C.] as Remiel; one of the seven holy angels whom God set over those who rise. In the Apocalypse of Zephaniah, an apocryphal book which has come down to us in Coptic, the angel referred to as Eremiel tells Zephaniah

I am the great angel, Eremiel, who is over the abyss and Hades, the one in which all of the souls are imprisoned from the end of the Flood, which came upon the earth, until this day

 Sariel ("God is my Ruler") is an angel mainly from Judaic tradition. Other possible versions of his name are Suriel, Suriyel (in some Dead Sea Scrolls translations), Seriel, Sauriel, Saraqael, Sarakiel, Suruel, Surufel, and Souriel.

In 1 Enoch (20:6), he is said to be "one of the [seven] holy angels [who watch], who is set over the spirits, who sin in the spirit". Origen identified Suriel as one of seven angels who are considered primordial powers by the Ophites. In Gnosticism, Sariel is invoked for his protective powers. He is commemorated in the calendar of the Coptic Orthodox Church on 27 Tobi in the Coptic calendar.

He is not to be confused with the fallen watcher Sahariel (Hebrew & Aramaic: שַׂהֲרִיאֵל Śahărīʾēl; "God is my moon") who bears a similar name. In 1 Enoch (8:1) he is said to have taught humans the course of the moon.

Sachiel is an archangel of the order of cherubim. The name 'Sachiel' originally occurs in the late 1500s grimoire called The Heptameron.

Sachiel is associated with the weekday Thursday, wealth, and charity. While in most sources Sachiel presides over Thursday, others do assign him to Monday or Friday. All associate him with the planet Jupiter; as such, in New Age angel lore he can be invoked for matters involving money, finance, law, politics, and religion.

Sarathiel or Serathiel is often included in lists as being one of the Seven Archangels. The angel is described as having dominion over discipline and penance.

Ananiel, 14th Watcher of the 20 leaders of the 200 fallen angels who are mentioned in an ancient work titled the Book of Enoch. The name Ananiel is sometimes translated as "Rain of God" even though the name is often confused with the name Hananiel.  "cloud of God".

Ananiel was entrusted by God "all the trees of the earth, its plants, the rain, the dew, the heat, the simoom, the wind and as many [atmospheric phenomena] as there are in summer and winter."

Ananiel is also known as an angelic guard of the gates of the South Wind. The Book of Enoch describes three gates for each direction. The first gate inclines to the south-east and brings a hot wind. The second is due south and brings pleasant fragrances, dew, rain, prosperity and life. The third is south-west and brings dew, rain, locusts and devastation. Ananiel is one of the guardians of these gates and can be interpreted as an Archangel to petition for these.

Conversely, according to the tradition of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Ananiel is the name of one of the seven holy archangels.

What are the Gospels for?

 

Lord Keep You

 

Sir 3:2-6, 12-14

 God sets a father in honor over his children;

a mother’s authority he confirms over her sons.

Whoever honors his father atones for sins,

and preserves himself from them.

When he prays, he is heard;

he stores up riches who reveres his mother.

Whoever honors his father is gladdened by children,

and, when he prays, is heard.

Whoever reveres his father will live a long life;

he who obeys his father brings comfort to his mother.

My son, take care of your father when he is old;

grieve him not as long as he lives.

Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him;

revile him not all the days of his life;

kindness to a father will not be forgotten,

firmly planted against the debt of your sins

—a house raised in justice to you. 

Col 3:12-21 or 3:12-17

 

Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

 When the days were completed for their purification

according to the law of Moses,

They took him up to Jerusalem

to present him to the Lord,

just as it is written in the law of the Lord,

Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,

and to offer the sacrifice of

a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,

in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.

This man was righteous and devout,

awaiting the consolation of Israel,

and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit

that he should not see death

before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.

He came in the Spirit into the temple;

and when the parents brought in the child Jesus

to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,

He took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:

“Now, Master, you may let your servant go

in peace, according to your word,

for my eyes have seen your salvation,

which you prepared in sight of all the peoples,

a light for revelation to the Gentiles,

and glory for your people Israel.”

The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;

and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,

“Behold, this child is destined

for the fall and rise of many in Israel,

and to be a sign that will be contradicted

—and you yourself a sword will pierce—

so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

There was also a prophetess, Anna,

the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.

She was advanced in years,

having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,

and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.

She never left the temple,

but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.

And coming forward at that very time,

she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child

to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions

of the law of the Lord,

they returned to Galilee,

to their own town of Nazareth.

The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;

and the favor of God was upon him.

Do Not Worry Mttw 6:25-34

 

The prayer of one afflicted and wasting away whose anguish is poured out before the Lord.

Psalm 102

Lord, hear my prayer;

    let my cry come to you.

3 Do not hide your face from me

    in the day of my distress.

Turn your ear to me;

    when I call, answer me quickly.

4 For my days vanish like smoke;

    my bones burn away as in a furnace.

5 My heart is withered, dried up like grass,

    too wasted to eat my food.

6 From my loud groaning

    I become just skin and bones.

7 I am like a desert owl,

    like an owl among the ruins.

8 I lie awake and moan,

    like a lone sparrow on the roof.

9 All day long my enemies taunt me;

    in their rage, they make my name a curse.[b]

10 I eat ashes like bread,

    mingle my drink with tears.

11 Because of your furious wrath,

    you lifted me up just to cast me down.

12 My days are like a lengthening shadow;

    I wither like the grass.

II

13 But you, Lord, are enthroned forever;

    your renown is for all generations.

14 You will again show mercy to Zion;

    now is the time for pity;

    the appointed time has come.

15 Its stones are dear to your servants;

    its dust moves them to pity.

16 The nations shall fear your name, Lord,

    all the kings of the earth, your glory,

17 Once the Lord has rebuilt Zion

    and appeared in glory,

18 Heeding the plea of the lowly,

    not scorning their prayer.

19 Let this be written for the next generation,

    for a people not yet born,

    that they may praise the Lord:

20 [c]“The Lord looked down from the holy heights,

    viewed the earth from heaven,

21 To attend to the groaning of the prisoners,

    to release those doomed to die.”

22 Then the Lord’s name will be declared on Zion,

    his praise in Jerusalem,

23 When peoples and kingdoms gather

    to serve the Lord.

III

24 He has shattered my strength in mid-course,

    has cut short my days.

25 I plead, O my God,

    do not take me in the midst of my days.[d]

    Your years last through all generations.

26 Of old you laid the earth’s foundations;

    the heavens are the work of your hands.

27 They perish, but you remain;

    they all wear out like a garment;

Like clothing you change them and they are changed,

28     but you are the same, your years have no end.

29 May the children of your servants live on;

    may their descendants live in your presence.

 

I will put my spirit in you that you may live

 Thus says the Lord GOD:

O my people, I will open your graves

and have you rise from them,

and bring you back to the land of Israel.

Then you shall know that I am the LORD,

when I open your graves and have you rise from them,

O my people!

I will put my spirit in you that you may live,

and I will settle you upon your land;

thus you shall know that I am the LORD.

I have promised, and I will do it, says the LORD.

Jn 9:1-41

 As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth.

His disciples asked him,

"Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents,

that he was born blind?"

Jesus answered,

"Neither he nor his parents sinned;

it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him.

We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day.

Night is coming when no one can work.

While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

When he had said this, he spat on the ground

and made clay with the saliva,

and smeared the clay on his eyes,

and said to him,

"Go wash in the Pool of Siloam" —which means Sent—.

So he went and washed, and came back able to see.

His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said,

"Isn't this the one who used to sit and beg?"

Some said, "It is, "

but others said, "No, he just looks like him."

He said, "I am."

So they said to him, "How were your eyes opened?"

He replied,

"The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes

and told me, 'Go to Siloam and wash.'

So I went there and washed and was able to see."

And they said to him, "Where is he?"

He said, "I don't know."

They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees.

Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath.

So then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see.

He said to them,

"He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see."

So some of the Pharisees said,

"This man is not from God,

because he does not keep the sabbath."

But others said,

"How can a sinful man do such signs?"

And there was a division among them.

So they said to the blind man again,

"What do you have to say about him,

since he opened your eyes?"

He said, "He is a prophet."

Now the Jews did not believe

that he had been blind and gained his sight

until they summoned the parents of the one who had gained his sight.

They asked them,

"Is this your son, who you say was born blind?

How does he now see?"

His parents answered and said,

"We know that this is our son and that he was born blind.

We do not know how he sees now,

nor do we know who opened his eyes.

Ask him, he is of age;

he can speak for himself."

His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews,

for the Jews had already agreed

that if anyone acknowledged him as the Christ,

he would be expelled from the synagogue.

For this reason his parents said,

"He is of age; question him."

So a second time they called the man who had been blind

and said to him, "Give God the praise!

We know that this man is a sinner."

He replied,

"If he is a sinner, I do not know.

One thing I do know is that I was blind and now I see."

So they said to him,

"What did he do to you?

How did he open your eyes?"

He answered them,

"I told you already and you did not listen.

Why do you want to hear it again?

Do you want to become his disciples, too?"

They ridiculed him and said,

"You are that man's disciple;

we are disciples of Moses!

We know that God spoke to Moses,

but we do not know where this one is from."

The man answered and said to them,

"This is what is so amazing,

that you do not know where he is from, yet he opened my eyes.

We know that God does not listen to sinners,

but if one is devout and does his will, he listens to him.

It is unheard of that anyone ever opened the eyes of a person born blind.

If this man were not from God,

he would not be able to do anything."

They answered and said to him,

"You were born totally in sin,

and are you trying to teach us?"

Then they threw him out.

When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out,

he found him and said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"

He answered and said,

"Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?"

Jesus said to him,

"You have seen him,

the one speaking with you is he."

He said,

"I do believe, Lord," and he worshiped him.

Then Jesus said,

"I came into this world for judgment,

so that those who do not see might see,

and those who do see might become blind."

Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard this

and said to him, "Surely we are not also blind, are we?"

Jesus said to them,

"If you were blind, you would have no sin;

but now you are saying, 'We see,' so your sin remains.

Eph 5:8-14

 Brothers and sisters:

You were once darkness,

but now you are light in the Lord.

Live as children of light,

for light produces every kind of goodness

and righteousness and truth.

Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness;

rather expose them, for it is shameful even to mention

the things done by them in secret;

but everything exposed by the light becomes visible,

for everything that becomes visible is light.

Therefore, it says:

"Awake, O sleeper,

and arise from the dead,

and Christ will give you light." Eph 5:8-14

John 8:12

 

Psalm of David Psalm 23:1

 1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;

he leads me beside still waters;*

3 he restores my soul.*

He leads me in right paths*

for his name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,*

I fear no evil;

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff—

they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

6 Surely* goodness and mercy* shall follow me

all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord

my whole life long.

Mt 4:1-11

 At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert

to be tempted by the devil.

He fasted for forty days and forty nights,

and afterwards he was hungry.

The tempter approached and said to him,

"If you are the Son of God,

command that these stones become loaves of bread."

He said in reply,

"It is written:

One does not live on bread alone,

but on every word that comes forth

from the mouth of God."

Then the devil took him to the holy city,

and made him stand on the parapet of the temple,

and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down.

For it is written:

He will command his angels concerning you

and with their hands they will support you,

lest you dash your foot against a stone."

Jesus answered him,

"Again it is written,

You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test."

Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain,

and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence,

and he said to him, "All these I shall give to you,

if you will prostrate yourself and worship me."

At this, Jesus said to him,

"Get away, Satan!

It is written:

The Lord, your God, shall you worship

and him alone shall you serve."

Then the devil left him and, behold,

angels came and ministered to him.

Gn 2:7-9; 3:1-7

 The LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground

and blew into his nostrils the breath of life,

and so man became a living being.

Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east,

and placed there the man whom he had formed.

Out of the ground the LORD God made various trees grow

that were delightful to look at and good for food,

with the tree of life in the middle of the garden

and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the animals

that the LORD God had made.

The serpent asked the woman,

"Did God really tell you not to eat

from any of the trees in the garden?"

The woman answered the serpent:

"We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden;

it is only about the fruit of the tree

in the middle of the garden that God said,

'You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.'"

But the serpent said to the woman:

"You certainly will not die!

No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it

your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods

who know what is good and what is evil."

The woman saw that the tree was good for food,

pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom.

So she took some of its fruit and ate it;

and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her,

and he ate it.

Then the eyes of both of them were opened,

and they realized that they were naked;

so they sewed fig leaves together

and made loincloths for themselves. Gn 2:7-9; 3:1-7

The Intention of God (Wisdom 9:13)

 

Jesus Calls His First Disciples Mathew 4:18-22

 18As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20At once they left their nets and followed him.

21Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

8/14/2022

8/14/2022 - This hymn was our entrance him at church this morning. It was very comforting to me. The verse "Fear not, I am with thee; O be not dismayed! For I am thy God, and will still give thee aide; I'll strengthen thee, and cause thee to stand, upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand. This Verse struck home for me and what I have going on in my life right now.

 

8/14/2022 - Todays gospel according to Luke12:49-56 is the only place to my knowledge in the Gospels where Jesus admits he could cause adversity. From reading this gospel and listening to Rev. Patsy Barhams sermon I derived that Jesus is warning us that there will be division among people about his teachings. Patsy sited Matthew which I am so glad she did. (See the next post)

Rev. Patsy G. Barham sited Matthew 10:34-39 this morning during her sermon. I am glad she did. Although I think Patsy was dissuaded from using Matthews version because he discusses a sword. (Patsy G. Barham has always been a peacemaker since I met her when I was in the first grade.) Matthew does say that Christ stated "I have not come to bring peace, but a sword of division between belief and unbelief." which for me is in a context that I understand a bit better.

8/14/2022

My epiphany on this morning’s sermon. The gospel was taken from Luke 12:49-56. It is the only place in the gospels that I know that Jesus sews division. I personally do not think Luke did a good job putting what Jesus was saying into an understandable context. Rev Patsy Barham did site Matthew 10: 34-39 which I think puts the idea into better context. I think you must read on in Matthew to verses 10:40-42,

34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn

“‘a man against his father,

a daughter against her mother,

a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—

36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’[c]

37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”

One can interpret this verse to mean that Christ brings a sword to divide those who believe and those that do not. Rev. Barham went on to state in her sermon that when she was growing up that one held Sunday in special reverence, they did their chores on Saturday so that Sunday could be used to share the message of Christ with not only their church members, but their families. She went on to say that today’s society has gotten away from holding Sunday in reverence to God.

My Epiphany from all this was that we as Christians have gotten away from reverencing our faith or defending our beliefs. One goes on platforms like Facebook and sees others expressing their ideas that Christianity is a cult, or a radical sect. Christianity like any religion is only as radical as you choose to make it. I have many friends that speak of taking pride in who they are and what they stand for, but only in very few do I see them taking pride in their belief in God. Most of my Gay brothers and sisters have allowed organized religion to detract from their personal beliefs. They will become very militant in their views on Pride, and acceptance, but have allowed Religions that do not accept them to move them away from God. I don’t feel that is how it works. Even Gay Christians are responsible for finding God. There is such a thing as a “Gay Christian” being Gay only defines one part of who you are. Your belief in God defines another. It IS POSSIBLE to be both. Your relationship with God is YOUR relationship with God. Your upbringing does play a part in your relationship with God, But I see most of my Gay brothers and Sisters demand that others keep an open mind to their lifestyles, but then I also see them close their minds to God because organized religion does not acknowledge or accept their lifestyles.

I will no longer do that. If Christ was sent as Matthew 10:34-42 says to divide families, then I say here and now I will submit to this sword. While I respect “EVERYONES” views and their beliefs I will no long not express my views on being a Christian. I am a follower of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. I do not need an organized religion to tell me if I am right or wrong. GOD KNOWS if I am right or wrong. I need no human to tell me anything else. The longer I have lived the more I have learned that my God is “MY GOD”! From this day forward I choose to stand up for myself, and my Christian beliefs. IF you respect me as I respect you this should not be a problem. However, if you have a problem with my beliefs then I invite you to unfollow me like you have unfollowed other things and peoples you don’t believe or trust. I choose to put my Trust in the teachings of Jesus Christ.

I Love You All,

Chris McLaughlin See less

1 John 4:7-16