Sermon Tone Analysis

Genesis 1:14–18 Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so.

Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night.

He made the stars also.

God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness.

And God saw that it was good.

There are some interesting observations that we can make from the first chapter of Genesis chapter1.

Firstly, we observe that light was created on DAY 1 whilst the light bearers appear on DAY 4. Light is not dependent on the sun and moon.

God has simply assigned them to rule over the day and night.

These lights are set in, or Inside the firmament.

Days 1, 2 and 3 all functioned normally, ie evening and morning without the sun, moon or stars!

The Sun, Moon and Stars were created on day 4 to 1. divide the day from night, 2. give light on the earth, 3. rule over day and night.

4. be for, signs, seasons, days and years.

We recognize most of these points in our day to day lives.

The sun marks each days beginning and end.

The sun and moon clearly do all that God has commanded them to.

Wisdom of Solomon 7:17–19 For he hath given me certain knowledge of the things that are, namely, to know how the world was made, and the operation of the elements: the beginning, ending, and midst of the times: the alterations of the turning of the sun, and the change of seasons: the circuits of years, and the positions of stars:

However, we don’t pay enough attention to the signs and seasons aspect of God’s light bearers.

I believe the signs could refer to things like eclipses, (one happened at Christ’s death Matthew 27:45), or the star that lead the wise men to Bethlehem to see Jesus the Messiah.

(Matthew 2:1-2, 7, 9-10).

Or the sign John saw in Revelation12:1-5, relating to Satan, Israel and the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Revelation 12:3–4 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads.

His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth.

And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born.

Genesis 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished.

This verse gives us a summary of the creation week.

Throughout the Bible the host of heaven describes luminaries in the heavenly realm.

Commentators say that they describe both stars and angels.

There are many passages in the scriptures that must be interpreted as to say that the stars are angels.

If you look at the following verse from Job describing the accounts of creation it’s hard to look at it any other way.

Job 38:4–7 “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?

Tell Me, if you have understanding.

Who determined its measurements?

Surely you know!

Or who stretched the line upon it?

To what were its foundations fastened?

Or who laid its cornerstone, When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?

In The Beginning God Created ……

The Heavens with a Firmament, Sun, Moon and Stars, and Windows.

The Earth with Foundations, Pillars, a Cornerstone, ends and corners.

The Seas with its Depths and its limits set by bars and doors.

The World beneath the Earth, Sheol, the Abyss, Tartarus, Hades.

The Invisible and Visible, Angels, Mankind, Animals, Fish and Birds.

What if all the stars are angels working / shinning inside God’s heaven, the firmament?

Psalm 147:4 He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name.

God named all the stars and knows their number!

The Lord is called the Lord of Hosts throughout the Bible.

244 times.

God has sovereign control over the hosts of heaven.

Job 38:31–33 “Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, Or loose the belt of Orion?

Can you bring out Mazzaroth in its season?

Or can you guide the Great Bear with its cubs?

Do you know the ordinances of the heavens?

Can you set their dominion over the earth?

Nehemiah 9:6 You alone are the Lord; You have made heaven, The heaven of heavens, with all their host, The earth and everything on it, The seas and all that is in them, And You preserve them all.

The host of heaven worships You.

Psalm 33:6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.

Genesis 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

Psalm33:6 seems to say that the heavenly host came from the breath of God’s mouth even as Adam did.

Therefore they worship God.

Psalm 8:3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, Psalm 148:3 Praise Him, sun and moon; Praise Him, all you stars of light.

Could large balls of gas praise God? Angels can and do this!

Isaiah 40:26 Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing.

Isaiah 45:12 I have made the earth, And created man on it.

I—My hands—stretched out the heavens, And all their host I have commanded.

Revelation 1:12–16, 20 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me.

And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.

His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.

The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.

Hebrews 1:6 But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all the angels of God worship Him.”

The angels, stars are His direct creation and were created with specific responsibilities.

Some proclaim His holiness, some are warriors, others provide light on the earth.

Other angels have power of the weather, the elements of the earth.

Revelation 7:1 After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree.

Revelation 8:12 Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened.

A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night.

See Revelation 16:8 also.

The angels were to worship and serve God in the heavenly realm, shining light upon the earth, serving as messengers and ministers to God’s people.

Angels escort believers to heaven after they die; ie Lazarus in Luke 16:22.

An angel, Gabriel brought word to Zechariah concerning the birth of John the Baptist who would announce the Messiah’s coming.

Gabriel also brought news to Mary concerning the Child she would give birth to Jesus.

An angel and a host from heaven announced Christ’s birth to the shepherds.

I have included some apochryphal books.

Luke 2:8–14 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.

Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.

For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Sirach 43:1–10: 1 The pride of the height, the clear firmament, The beauty of heaven, with his glorious shew; 2 The sun when it appeareth, declaring at his rising A marvellous instrument, the work of the most High: 3 At noon it parcheth the country, And who can abide the burning heat thereof? 4 A man blowing a furnace is in works of heat, But the sun burneth the mountains three times more; Breathing out fiery vapours, And sending forth bright beams, it dimmeth the eyes.

5 Great is the Lord that made it; And at his commandment it runneth hastily.

6 He made the moon also to serve in her season For a declaration of times, and a sign of the world.

7 From the moon is the sign of feasts, a light that decreaseth in her perfection.

8 The month is called after her name, increasing wonderfully in her changing, Being an instrument of the armies above, shining in the firmament of heaven; 9 The beauty of heaven, the glory of the stars, An ornament giving light in the highest places of the Lord. 10 At the commandment of the Holy One they will stand in their order, And never faint in their watches.

I believe that God has given angels other responsibilities in the heavens.

It seems they have power of the weather, the wind and the rain, perhaps snow and ice.

See Revelation 7:1; 16:8.

Angels helped Israel to defeat Sisera’s Canaanite army.

Judges 5:19–20 “The kings came and fought, Then the kings of Canaan fought In Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo; They took no spoils of silver.

They fought from the heavens; The stars from their courses fought against Sisera.

(the angels caused huge thunderstorms that bogged down the chariots of Sisera).