Monday, November 8, 2004
Synaxis of the Archangels and the Bodiless Powers of Heaven
2nd Vesp, Synaxis of Bodiless Powers: Judges 6:2, 7, 11-24 Epistle: Hebrews 2:2-10
Gospel: St. Luke 10:16-21
Judges 6:2, 7, 11-24 RSV, especially vss. 22, 23: "Then
Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the Lord; and Gideon said, 'Alas, O Lord GOD! For
now I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.' But the Lord said to him, 'Peace be to you;
do not fear, you shall not die.'" In both of the original languages of the Bible, the word
translated in our English versions as "angel" is simply the common Hebrew or Greek word for
"courier" or "messenger." In the present passage, while the angel who appeared to Gideon is
specifically identified to the reader as "a messenger of the Lord" (vss. 11,12), yet to Gideon,
threshing wheat down inside a wine press, the friendly greeting, "The Lord is with you...."(vs.
12), did not communicate that his visitor was one of the bodiless Powers. In fact, since the
greeting was coupled with the address, "you mighty man of valor," it led Gideon to express his
discomfort that "the hand of Midian"(vs. 2) was heavy upon him in a personal way, greatly
complicating his harvesting efforts. He could not thresh out in the open, but had to hide inside
the walls of a wine press - so as not to be seen by marauding Midianites. Thus, we have, his
poignant retort: "Pray, sir, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this befallen us?" (vs. 13).
Gideon had to thresh in hiding. His neighbors had to hide in caves to avoid pillaging, all of
which made it difficult for him to see how the Lord could be "with him;" yet, an angel of the
Lord had in fact come with a message for him. The present complications of life caused by the
Midianite raiders made Gideon acutely aware of the absence of the Lord in this life. Consider
how this applies to us. Much of the time, getting our attention and focusing it must be the chief
struggle of the bodiless Powers. As God's messengers to man, they have a difficult task.
First and foremost, they are sent as messengers to deliver the word of God to each of us. In
Gideon's case, from his first declaration - that "the Lord is with you"(vs. 12) - the angel was
laying a foundation for Gideon's acceptance of the message. Consider the messages our guardian
angel must bring to each of us: warnings to avoid dangers, calls to worship and prayer, counsel in
sorting among the available options and pointing us toward those decisions that represent God's
highest and best for our lives. However, we are so dull spiritually that the angels have a
multitude of barriers to cross in order simply to deliver God's word to our hearts.
Always, the angels face the need to assure us that we are genuinely hearing a bidding or a
message from God. Gideon is told to "go... and deliver Israel from...Midian" (vs. 14), but like so
many who hear the word of the Lord, he can do little else than question its relevance, not trusting
his own capacity to carry out the message. Moses asked, "Who am I?' (Ex. 3:11). Isaiah could
only see his sins (Is. 6:5), and the Forerunner John rightly perceived that he, not the Lord Jesus,
was the one who needed Baptism (Mt. 3:14). Thus, angels, as God's messengers, also have to
bring us God's encouragement that He will enable us to carry out what He asks of us (Jdgs. 6:16).
Think how the Lord Jesus tells us that not even a hair of our head shall perish (Lk. 21:18).
Finally, when an angel has quieted our minds and hearts, we have received the message he brings
from God, and we have accepted that message, then all the agitation and fear in us wells up.
Notice that the Lord Himself spoke to Gideon (Jdg. 6:23), but only after the man had perceived
that he was dealing with an angel from the Lord and was not deluded by some demon or phantasy
of his own making (vs. 22). God speaks peace and dispels our fear, enabling us to act. Thus He
prepares us to worship Him and to offer ourselves in His service (vs. 24).
Through the intercession of Thy holy angels and the power of Thy Spirit, lift us to Thy presence,
O Lord, that we may be still, honor Thee as God, and serve Thee with quiet hearts.