, or Dumah, is the of . He has authority of Almighty God. The name “” enormous dark wings and his entire body is means “God is my champion.” The covered with eyes. In his hand he carries a great, Gabriel makes an appearance in the book of sharp sword. Now me, I’m quite looking forward , but it’s in the Gospel according to Luke to meeting the angel of death. Not that I’m eager that Gabriel really comes into his own. Gabriel to die! Far from it. I very much enjoy living. But announces the coming birth of John the Baptist the angel of death is apparently a very to John’s father, Zechariah and, of course, impressive dude, and besides, if you belong to Gabriel announces to the Virgin Mary that she Jesus you have nothing to fear from the angel of will be the mother of Jesus, the Messiah. Now, death. Do you remember the hymn we sing each this is just speculation—you don’t have to agree year during the Easter season? with me—but I think Gabriel was the angel who Where the paschal blood is poured wrestled until dawn with the Patriarch Jacob, Death’s dread angel sheathes the sword. refusing to identify himself. In order to escape (LBW 210) from Jacob, the angel broke Jacob’s thigh, to use Twenty-fourth Sunday So, no, none of us here need to be afraid of the biblical euphemism, an injury that earned after Pentecost meeting the angel Azrael, or Dumah. It might Jacob a new name—Israel. I also think Gabriel 19 November 2006 even be a very wonderful experience. was the angel who announced the birth of Daniel 12.1-3 Hebrews 10.11-25 Samson in the book of Judges—Samson who Mark 13.1-8 Next I got a letter from one of my lovely friends became the long-haired weight lifter. That angel, abroad asking about the four too, refused to give his name, saying that his mentioned in the Christian Bible, , name was just too wonderful. means “God , Gabriel and Uriel. The name “Raphael” is my light,” and Uriel is the archangel who Sermon means “God has healed,” and the archangel reveals the secrets of history to the scribe Ezra in Raphael appears in the book of Tobit in our the Second Book of Esdras. Now you only have 2 The Rev. Martin Hauser, Pastor Bible, where he becomes the traveling companion Esdras in your Bible if you read the Bible in Grace & St. Paul’s Church of the young Tobias, helps Tobit and Tobias out English or perhaps in Latin. It’s not in Martin in their various troubles, and defeats the evil Luther’s German Bible. demon Asmordeus. The archangel Michael, of course, figures in our FIRST LESSON for this So I wrote back to my lovely friend about t that time, Michael, the great prince, the Lord’s Day—the prophecy of Daniel about the Raphael, Michael, Gabriel and Uriel, the four Aprotector of your people, shall arise. end of time. The book of Daniel seems to indicate archangels who are named by name in the Bible. that each of the nations of the world has its own St. John tells us in his Revelation that the It’s been an angelic week for me. At the angel, who governs its affairs. Michael is the archangels actually number seven, and in the beginning of the week I found myself sitting with prince of God’s ancient people the Jews, and book of Tobit Raphael identifies himself as one a friend from another Lutheran congregation since we are the spiritual offshoot of Israel, of the seven. But only four are mentioned by discussing the angel Azrael. The angel Azrael Michael is our prince as well. In the Revelation name in the Christian Bible. I might add that does not appear in the Bible, but is mentioned in to John, St. Michael and his defeat Satan, these four are also mentioned in the bedtime various religious books from the time of Jesus. the ancient serpent, and his fallen angels. Those prayers that devout Jews pray each night before The name “Azrael” is Hebrew and it means “God of us who pray Morning and Evening Prayer are going to sleep. I’ve taught you this prayer before: is my help.” All angels have Hebrew names. praying our way through the Revelation these In the Name of the Lord, God of Israel: There are only two exceptions to this—two days—ending the Christian Year with St. John’s may Michael be at my right, Gabriel at highly placed angels have Greek names, albeit description of the end of time. The name my left, Uriel before me, and Raphael written in Hebrew letters. The angel Azrael is “Michael” is Hebrew for “Who is like God?” And behind me; and above my head the more usually known by the name “Dumah,” it’s the job of St. Michael to oppose those Presence of God. which in the Hebrew tongue means “Silence.” spiritual forces that challenge the power and The third thing that happened last week is that Luther suggests that we being our day by something about the angels. Alas, time does not one of you told me how the angels had suffered praying to God, permit me to talk about all the different kinds of at the hands of one of the television evangelists. Let your holy angels have charge of us, angels—the Seraphim and Cherubim, Thrones, Now it’s not too difficult for the insane and the that the wicked one have no power over Dominions, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, unscrupulous to invent misinformation about the us. Amen Archangels and Angels—especially the Holy angels, because we know so little about them. So there are many mysteries about the angels, Guardian Angels that look after every baptized The great doctors of the Church have debated but there is also a reliable promise from God that believer. But perhaps the most important angel how much the angels know. The wise woman of the angels will always be on hand to look after of all is the one who first whispered in your ear, Tekoa told King David that he had “wisdom like us, no matter what. “Why don’t you check out that little church on the wisdom of an angel of God to know all things West 71st Street? Maybe there you’ll find the that are on the earth.” St. Augustine taught that Of course, the reason we hear about St. Michael Savior who died and rose again for you. Maybe the angels knew all there is to know about the archangel on this penultimate Sunday of the there the angels will feed you with the bread of physics, geology, biology and anthropology. John Christian Year is that the angels who assisted heaven and offer you the cup in which they Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church God at the creation of the world will also be on caught the precious blood of Jesus Christ our believed that the angels know our thoughts. And hand to help with the destruction of the world. Lord,” to whom with the Father and the Holy the Jewish Kabbalah teaches that the angels Just as at the beginning of time “the morning Spirit be all honor and glory, now and forever. know our futures. But Jesus tells us that not stars sang together and the angel hosts shouted Amen  even the angels know how long this universe will for joy,” so at the end of time, the seven angels last and when God will finally bring creation to a will pour out their seven bowls of cataclysmic close and Christ will appear in glory to draw us destruction and then come for us—to collect you forever to himself. The great doctors of the and me and invite us to the marriage supper of Church have debated whether the angels are the Lamb. sinless and immortal. Well, clearly, in the days of Noah, some of those angels who are known as And what happens to the Church at the end of “Watchers” came down from heaven to take time will also happen to us at the end of our human wives. Their monstrous offspring were an lives. We know from the New Testament Letter of affront to God and one of the causes of the great Jude that St. Michael the Archangel fought with flood. When Satan, the ancient serpent, fell from Satan for possession of the body of Moses. In the heaven, he took a third of the angels with him. end of course, St. Michael won, and carried And according to St. John in his Revelation, God Moses’ body into heaven. And I see no reason in will not permit these angelic enemies to endure the world to doubt that St. Michael will do the forever. God is going to get rid of them at the end same for us. When the terrible angel of death of time. sees the baptismal cross upon our foreheads, he will put away his sword and make way for St. So we don’t know exactly what the angels know Michael and his angels who will come to escort or how they know it. We don’t know why some you into heaven. If you’re still at Grace & St. angels fall from grace and some don’t. But we Paul’s Church, the pastor will be at your side at can be sure that the angels assigned by God to the time, reading the ancient prayers, watch over us know everything that they need to Surrounded by the angels and know and can be trusted to do faithfully all that triumphant saints, may Christ come to God has given them to do. Martin Luther assures meet you as you go forth from this life. us that the angels are “the Lord’s soldiers, (Occasional Services, page 106) guardians, leaders, and protectors to preserve the creatures that he has created.” In the Catechism, So that was my angelic week this week, and it seemed to me that God was telling me to tell you