Angels and Heavenly Messengers

Isn't it interesting that when we talk about the stories from the scriptures we have no problem talking about the many instances where various Heavenly messengers appeared to the various characters. We bare our testimonies that we believe these things really happened and for most of us, we really do believe it. Yet when we have the very same discussion about the same wondrous things happening in our present day, all of the sudden it's a ridiculous thought and completely preposterous.

Why do we set these double standards, dual realities for ourselves? Is this because when we talk about these things happening in our day and time, it now becomes REAL and is too close to home and scares us? Or do we really believe that God doesn't do miracles anymore because he's outgrown that phase. Or that He doesn't send forth messengers from Heaven. Or that He doesn't do that prophet thing anymore and talk to man because he doesn't love us anymore? Perhaps Man has progressed technologically so much and we are so socially evolved that we just don't need God anymore so he's gone fishing?

As we look at the world today, I believe that any intelligent being would agree that there never has been a time throughout the history of the world when we have needed him more than we do now. The obvious answer is, of course God loves us, and of course God is never changing, therefore he will continue to help us and guide us. And we can all sigh a deep breath of relief because of course he will continue to send forth his messengers, missionaries, prophets and guide mankind just as he has throughout the history of the world. What a wonderful thought, that God still loves us and if we are striving to be righteous (since none of us are yet perfect), we are therefore qualified to receive his grace, blessings, messages and even miracles. These gifts will come through different means including friends, strangers, missionaries, evangelists, Prophets and yes, on occasion even heavenly messengers.

Is it really so hard to believe that a heavenly messenger could really come down from heaven to teach us like they did throughout the scriptures? Hagar talked with and Angel in Genesis chapter 16; And while we generally refer to Moses and the burning bush, the verse actually reads in Exodus 3:2 in the King James Version of the Bible:

"And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed."

Other people that have seen angels include the children of Israel (Judges 2:4), Elijah (2 Kings 1:3 ), Shadrach , Meshach, and Abed-nego and those that outside of the furnace (Daniel 3:28 ) and many more. So is it really so difficult that even today we have the possibility of seeing Angels? To me it's not only likely, but that I would fully expect to hear about such occurrences continuing in our time. If we didn't hear about such things, I would be primarily concerned that ALL people are so wicked that there is nobody righteous enough for the Lord to approach to deliver Gods message to the people.

In a nutshell, of course Angels come to the earth in our day and time. We should expect them to continue to come to bring various messages from God as His wisdom and will sees fit.

Are there Angels Today?

The clear answer to this is Yes, there are many reports of angels visiting man in these modern times. There is a very prominent report of an angel coming to Joseph Smith Jr. to deliver instruction from God. This event is recorded in Joseph Smith-History:29-47

"In consequence of these things, I often felt condemned for my weakness and imperfections; when, on the evening of the above-mentioned twenty-first of September, after I had retired to my bed for the night, I betook myself to prayer and supplication to Almighty God for forgiveness of all my sins and follies, and also for a manifestation to me, that I might know of my state and standing before him; for I had full confidence in obtaining a divine manifestation, as I previously had one.

While I was thus in the act of calling upon God, I discovered a light appearing in my room, which continued to increase until the room was lighter than at noonday, when immediately a personage appeared at my bedside, standing in the air, for his feet did not touch the floor.

He had on a loose robe of most exquisite whiteness. It was a whiteness beyond anything earthly I had ever seen; nor do I believe that any earthly thing could be made to appear so exceedingly white and brilliant. His hands were naked, and his arms also, a little above the wrist; so, also, were his feet naked, as were his legs, a little above the ankles. His head and neck were also bare. I could discover that he had no other clothing on but this robe, as it was open, so that I could see into his bosom.

Not only was his robe exceedingly white, but his whole person was glorious beyond description, and his countenance truly like lightning. The room was exceedingly light, but not so very bright as immediately around his person. When I first looked upon him, I was afraid; but the fear soon left me.

He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me to do; and that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people.

He said there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang. He also said that the fullness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants;

Also, that there were two stones in silver bows-and these stones, fastened to a breastplate, constituted what is called the Urim and Thummim-deposited with the plates; and the possession and use of these stones were what constituted "seers" in ancient or former times; and that God had prepared them for the purpose of translating the book.

After telling me these things, he commenced quoting the prophecies of the Old Testament. He first quoted part of the third chapter of Malachi; and he quoted also the fourth or last chapter of the same prophecy, though with a little variation from the way it reads in our Bibles. Instead of quoting the first verse as it reads in our books, he quoted it thus:

For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall burn as stubble; for they that come shall burn them, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

And again, he quoted the fifth verse thus: Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

He also quoted the next verse differently: And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming.

In addition to these, he quoted the eleventh chapter of Isaiah, saying that it was about to be fulfilled. He quoted also the third chapter of Acts, twenty-second and twenty-third verses, precisely as they stand in our New Testament. He said that that prophet was Christ; but the day had not yet come when "they who would not hear his voice should be cut off from among the people," but soon would come.

He also quoted the second chapter of Joel, from the twenty-eighth verse to the last. He also said that this was not yet fulfilled, but was soon to be. And he further stated that the fullness of the Gentiles was soon to come in. He quoted many other passages of scripture, and offered many explanations which cannot be mentioned here.

Again, he told me, that when I got those plates of which he had spoken-for the time that they should be obtained was not yet fulfilled-I should not show them to any person; neither the breastplate with the Urim and Thummim; only to those to whom I should be commanded to show them; if I did I should be destroyed. While he was conversing with me about the plates, the vision was opened to my mind that I could see the place where the plates were deposited, and that so clearly and distinctly that I knew the place again when I visited it.

After this communication, I saw the light in the room begin to gather immediately around the person of him who had been speaking to me, and it continued to do so until the room was again left dark, except just around him; when, instantly I saw, as it were, a conduit open right up into heaven, and he ascended till he entirely disappeared, and the room was left as it had been before this heavenly light had made its appearance.

I lay musing on the singularity of the scene, and marveling greatly at what had been told to me by this extraordinary messenger; when, in the midst of my meditation, I suddenly discovered that my room was again beginning to get lighted, and in an instant, as it were, the same heavenly messenger was again by my bedside.

He commenced, and again related the very same things which he had done at his first visit, without the least variation; which having done, he informed me of great judgments which were coming upon the earth, with great desolations by famine, sword, and pestilence; and that these grievous judgments would come on the earth in this generation. Having related these things, he again ascended as he had done before.

By this time, so deep were the impressions made on my mind, that sleep had fled from my eyes, and I lay overwhelmed in astonishment at what I had both seen and heard. But what was my surprise when again I beheld the same messenger at my bedside, and heard him rehearse or repeat over again to me the same things as before; and added a caution to me, telling me that Satan would try to tempt me (in consequence of the indigent circumstances of my father's family), to get the plates for the purpose of getting rich. This he forbade me, saying that I must have no other object in view in getting the plates but to glorify God, and must not be influenced by any other motive than that of building his kingdom; otherwise I could not get them.

After this third visit, he again ascended into heaven as before, and I was again left to ponder on the strangeness of what I had just experienced; when almost immediately after the heavenly messenger had ascended from me for the third time, the cock crowed, and I found that day was approaching, so that our interviews must have occupied the whole of that night."

I also know that there are also many others who walk among us who have witnessed visitations from these wondrous heavenly beings. Why don't they advertise these things? It's simple. These experiences are so special and Holy that they won't share these experiences with anyone who is not spiritually prepared to receive it and spiritually appreciate it. So how do they know who is spiritually prepared, the simple answer is that they of themselves don't know and will never know, but the Holy Spirit will prompt them when He sees fit at which time by listening to that sweet prompting of the Holy Spirit, they will respectfully and reverently share that experience that to them means more than life itself.

It's no surprise that when Joseph Smith Jr. shared his experience with those who weren't spiritually prepared, they didn't believe him. They mocked him, made fun of him, and went to great lengths to discredit him and his good name. Yet is it any wonder that having had such a sweet experience, he couldn't and wouldn't deny it. He goes on to say in Joseph Smith-History:24 & 25

"24 However, it was nevertheless a fact that I had beheld a vision. I have thought since, that I felt much like Paul, when he made his defense before King Agrippa, and related the account of the vision he had when he saw a light, and heard a voice; but still there were but few who believed him; some said he was dishonest, others said he was mad; and he was ridiculed and reviled. But all this did not destroy the reality of his vision. He had seen a vision, he knew he had, and all the persecution under heaven could not make it otherwise; and though they should persecute him unto death, yet he knew, and would know to his latest breath, that he had both seen a light and heard a voice speaking unto him, and all the world could not make him think or believe otherwise."

25 So it was with me. I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two Personages, and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true; and while they were persecuting me, reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me falsely for so saying, I was led to say in my heart: Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it; at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under condemnation."

So What Does This All Mean?

As I state throughout this web site, my intent is not to convince or convert you or anyone to our beliefs. I'm only sharing what it is we believe and why we believe it. It is the job of the Holy Spirit to do the converting and for those souls that are prepared and ready, he will confirm the truth of all things to their souls in such a way that they will have no doubt. It will then be up to them to do those things necessary to follow whatever it was that the Holy Ghost told them to do. Thus it is his job to convert and I leave that in his VERY capable hands.

I can only tell you that through my personal study and sincere prayer, that I have receive my own personal witness that these things are true. I don't expect you to take my word for it. In fact I don't want you to take my word for it. It is my prayer that as it states in James 1:5-6, you will take these things that I've talked about to your heart for study them and match them with sincere prayer.

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering…"

I hope that you will sincerely listen for the prompting of the Holy Spirit and have the spiritual strength and commitment to follow Him. This will ultimately determine what all this means to not only you, but to the rest of the world also.