NEXT WEEK’S READINGS . . . Genesis 28:10–17; Ephesians 4:22–28; Matthew 9:1–8.

ABOUT THIS WEEK’S READINGS . . . We live in “a time of trouble” (Dan. 12:1), in the midst of great tribulation. Satan and his wicked angels have been thrown out of heaven and have come down to earth “in great wrath,” with woeful “temptations to sin” and with constant accusations (Rev. 12:8–12; Matt. 18:7). Even so, we are encouraged by the presence and protection of St. Michael and the holy angels, whom God sends to help us in the strife (Dan. 10:11–13). By “the authority of his Christ,” His holy angels guard and keep us in body and soul. These heavenly servants of God preserve His human messengers on earth, the ministers of “the blood of the Lamb,” against all the power of the enemy, for by “the word of their testimony,” the Church is saved and the devil is defeated (Rev. 12:10–11; Luke 10:18–19). By their preaching and Baptism of repentance, the old Adam and the old evil foe are “drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matt. 18:6). As God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, so are His people delivered and raised from the dust of the earth through the forgiveness of their sins (Dan. 12:1–3).

THOUGHTS ABOUT STEWARDSHIP . . . Matthew 22:40 “On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” We serve God and our neighbor through the various vocations (holy callings) that God has given us. We do not need to go searching for or inventing good works: God has given us roles to fill in Home, Church, and Society and when we work hard at them as faithful Christians, God-pleasing works are the result.

THE ALTAR FLOWERS . . . were given by Dorothy Hostetler to the glory of God for blessings received.

YOUTH GROUP EVENT . . . is Sunday, September 29, 6:00 pm–7:30 pm. We will meet at the church for a servant event. We will be cleaning up the church grounds outside and inside.

OCTOBER BI-MONTHLY MISSION . . . is Sunday, October 6. October’s bi-monthly offering has been designated for CID Campus Ministries (given to one campus ministry per year on a rotation). This year’s offering will be given University Lutheran Church the campus ministry at the University of Illinois. Checks may be made out to Immanuel Lutheran Church. An envelope will be placed in your member mailbox next week for your convenience. Your generosity is truly appreciated.

PASTOR WILL BE AWAY . . . at the CID Fall Pastors Conference in Carlyle, Illinois, October 7–9. If you have an emergency, you may contact him on his mobile phone or contact one of the Elders (Steve Hilgendorf, Tim Hoel, Les Sluder, Mark Whitson).

LUTHER ON THE HOLY ANGELS . . . But Moses says that as he went, the angels of God met him and on seeing them he recognized them with great joy as God’s army and God’s host and called the name of this place Mahanaim, for he said: “This host is God’s host.” . . . These are words of joy and triumph for the patriarch with great confidence and a feeling of security because of the peace given to him by God, just as though he meant to say: “Now the angels are appearing, heaven is laughing, the stormy winter has passed, and now the clear and serene light of day is shining forth.”

To this quiet joy of having now brought to an end all his troubles and difficulties there also comes this addition, that he has angels and God’s army meeting him. But Moses also testified before this that the patriarchs frequently enjoyed appearances of angels, as he related above concerning Abraham, Hagar, and Jacob’s ladder with its angels ascending and descending; also when Jacob was told to return to his fatherland. Yes, they often saw angels, and indeed, the excellent and holy fathers had special need of the sight of them. But here he sees not one angel but a host of angels. Luke also says (Luke 2:13): “Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host.” The angels are called hosts, soldiers, watchmen, guides, and governors over God’s creation. For this is their lower office. Their higher office is to sing: “Glory to God in the highest.” Their lower duty is to watch and govern us and the creatures, and to fight not only on behalf of the godly but also on behalf of the ungodly, as is clear from Daniel (10:20), where the angel says that he is returning to fight against the prince of the Persians. But a good angel does not resist a good angel, and so the prince of the Persians was an evil angel of the number of those concerning whom Christ says (John 12:31): “Now shall the ruler of this world be cast out.” Satan, the god of this world, has very large hosts of devils, and there is a kind of monarchy among the evil angels.

The matter speaks for itself, and Scripture demonstrates it quite clearly since, indeed, we see the world horribly embroiled, disturbed, confounded, and struck by horrible outrages. This comes about because the evil angels rule everywhere in the courts of the pope, the emperor, kings, and princes, yes, even in private homes. These are and are called works of the devil, which we see and experience, but the world does not see that murders and other infinite crimes are committed under the authority and at the instigation of the devil. All see the effect, but they do not see the cause. It is certain, therefore, that the leaders among the good angels fight against the leaders of the evil angels, for experience testifies to this. The heathen also retained a vague shadow of this knowledge when they invented their household gods or good and evil genii. God is the Creator and Ruler of all men, and through the angels He controls the empires even of the ungodly, such as the Babylonians, Assyrians, and Persians, as Daniel testifies. The same is clear in our courts and their rulers. As a result of this, it comes to pass that the very best of causes are often hindered, disturbed, and protracted at the courts in various ways and yet at length favorable outcomes are obtained under the leadership and counsels of the good angels. These are the wonderful counsels of God, concerning which there can be no dispute why He governs the world in this or that manner.

But it is a matter of great and wonderful wisdom that Jacob can recognize the angels who meet him and that he can call them God’s hosts, our Lord God’s troops. Surely God does not have armies and hosts on earth? Yes, this is what Jacob calls all the angels. And he did not have this knowledge from his father-in-law Laban, who was an impious idolater and not a teacher of such sublime and heavenly matters. But as stated above, such knowledge was handed down in a direct tradition from the fathers. For Abraham saw Noah for more than 50 years; Shem also lived beyond the age of Abraham, and Isaac and Jacob saw and heard him. He was a great teacher, a prophet and priest of the Most High, who took this doctrine from Enoch, the grandson of Adam.

These men were the teachers and hearers who preserved this doctrine and handed it on to their posterity. At the same time, however, there were the additional factors of experience and tribulation. He who has such leaders and masters will easily make much progress. Jacob not only learned from his forefathers, but he also had experience as a teacher. He saw the angels ascending and descending, and likewise in Mesopotamia with his father-in-law he saw and heard the angel in his sleep. In this place he sees a host and armies of angels. Thus fact and words combine, or knowledge and fact and experience. Otherwise this doctrine and wisdom is too sublime for it to be comprehensible by human reason, which does not know that angels exercise care over empires, kingdoms, the household, men, beasts, and, in short, all creatures.

The Epistle to the Hebrews (1:14) describes them in the words: “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation?” They are not gods or goddesses but ministers who serve the world, and who do so on account of those who will inherit eternal salvation. For whatever is done in this life is all done on account of the godly men and those who are to be saved. For their sakes the sun shines, kingdoms are preserved and established, the earth is made fruitful, and marriages are contracted. In short, all things in heaven and earth are ordained to this end, that the righteous should be gathered together and the number of those who are to be saved should be filled up.

Accordingly, this is a truly heavenly doctrine and not a matter of human reason and wisdom that in this life empires, states, and households, and, in short, whatever this world has are all governed by the ministry of the holy angels. (Luther’s Works, “Lectures on Genesis,” Vol 6, 87–89).