ANGELIC INSTRUCTION

The Lord spoke also to men through the agency of angels. These holy beings are not, as some suppose, the spirits of dead men, but are beings of a higher order than men, as man was made “a little lower than the angels.” Hebrews 2:7. In those ancient times Satan transformed himself into an angel of light, sought to lead men into a false worship of their dead friends and heroes, and represented himself and angels as being the spirits of their dead. The Lord plainly said of such worship and transactions that what was professedly offered to the dead was in reality sacrificed to devils-fallen angels. See Deuteronomy 32:17; Psalm 106:28, 35-37; 1 Corinthians 10:20. Under the Mosaic dispensation He strictly forbade any such “consulting with familiar spirits,” specifying a death penalty for such an offense. Leviticus 17:7; 19:31; 20:27; Deuteronomy 18:10-13. The pure, holy angels are “sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation” (Hebrews 1:7, 14); but they never come to represent dead persons. Through the instrumentality of angels the Lord has often communicated His will to men. In this manner He spoke to Abraham (Genesis 18:1-3); to Lot (Genesis 19:1); to Joshua (Joshua 5:13-15); to Gideon (Judges 6:11-22); and to Manoah (Judges 13).PGGC 5.3