When God suspended His program with Israel and brought in this present dispensation of grace, it not only affected men, but the angelic realm as well. Hence, in accordance with God’s dispensational change, angelic operations and activities have also changed. In fact, they have changed so much that instead of angels ministering unto us in this dispensation, we actually minister unto them.
This 12 hour study examines the fundamentals of the impact of this dispensation of grace upon the angelic realm, and especially the privilege of God’s grace unto us to be educating angels today in some very important matter.
Table of Contents
Lesson 1
Introduction to Educating Angels
Introduces the grand privilege of God’s grace in this dispensation to educate angels
- Focuses on Ephesians chapter 3 as foundational passage
- Addresses the “angel fever” that exists today among Christians
- Explains this is a complete role reversal from God’s program with Israel
- In Israel’s program, angels ministered to God’s people; in grace, we minister to angels
- Sets up the goal: to comprehend and deeply understand this privilege so it impacts our daily lives
- Notes this is about the privilege we have as members of the church the body of Christ
Lesson 2
Dispensational Change and Angelic Involvement
- Begins with Colossians 2
- Focuses on warnings and admonitions based on ignorance of the great dispensational change
- Addresses how this change has affected angelic involvement
- Continues building foundation for understanding our role in educating angels
- Emphasizes the contrast between angelic ministry in Israel’s program versus the dispensation of grace
Lesson 3
Preliminary Frame of Reference Issues
- Turns to 2 Peter 2
- Covers fundamental frame of reference issues about angels in general
- Introduces the third category of angelic education: educating principalities and powers about God’s manifold wisdom
- Discusses how God’s genius at the cross took Satan in his own craftiness
- Addresses the complete destruction of the satanic plan of evil in both earthly and heavenly realms
- Mentions the dispensation of the fullness of times
Lesson 4
Categories of Angelic Education
- Continues the series on educating angels in this dispensation of grace
- Still working through seven fundamental matters about the angelic realm that form the frame of reference
- Currently dealing with six of those seven fundamental issues
- Introduces specific categories of angelic education:
Fourth Category: Judging Angels
- Angels are educated in the grandeur of the time when we will judge angels
- We will function in the heavenly places according to our vocation
- God’s holy angels are particularly interested in and educated about this
- Satan and his angels have knowledge of this but ignore it and don’t want to think about it
- Holy angels look forward to when their realm is “cleaned out” and reconciled back to God
- We have the privilege now of educating holy angels about the grandeur of what that time will be like
- This refers to when we as members of the church the body of Christ will occupy positions in the heavenly places
Fifth Category: The Cross Work of Christ
- The inexpressible magnificence of the cross work of the Lord Jesus Christ
This is “no mean the least” though listed last - Each of the preceding four categories has its foundation upon the cross work of Christ
- This category will receive more detailed attention in future lessons
- Emphasizes the stark contrast between how angels function in God’s program with Israel versus this dispensation of grace
- Notes there are more fundamental things about angels to cover before putting everything together
- Concludes by noting they will focus on a particular category of angelic beings more than “the innumerable company of angels
Lesson 5
Five Categories of Angelic Education
- Begins focusing on the particular ways we educate angels today
Turns to Ephesians 2 - Reviews seven preliminary matters that form the frame of reference
- Prepares to examine the various categories of education angels receive from us
- Emphasizes the complete role reversal from Israel’s program
- Notes this privilege exists in stark contrast to how things were and will be again in Israel’s program
Lesson 6
First Category: Real Godliness
- Turns to James 1
- Examines the first category of angelic education: real godliness
- Explains this is one of the first times the angelic realm can see real godliness on display
- Covers fundamental issues about the doctrine of godliness
- Discusses the mystery of godliness and its designed impact on the angelic realm
- Emphasizes that as we live godly lives, we educate angels in real godliness
Lesson 7
The Second Category—Heavenly Governmental Positions
- This lesson discusses how believers will one day occupy positions of authority in the heavenly places, and how this future role is part of the education angels receive.
- The lesson connects this to the concept of believers judging angels and further explores the impact of godliness on the angelic realm.
Lesson 8
The Third Category—The Cross and God’s Wisdom
- Explains that the centerpiece of angelic education is the cross of Christ and the genius of God’s plan.
- Angels learn about God’s manifold wisdom, especially how the cross defeated Satan’s plan.
- Highlights the privilege believers have in making this wisdom known to the angelic realm.
Lesson 9
Role Reversal from Israel’s Program
- Emphasizes the complete role reversal from God’s program with Israel
- In grace, we minister to the angelic realm; they’re in the classroom observing
- Contrasts this with Israel’s program where angels were the ministering spirits
- Addresses the concept of guardian angels and how it relates to Israel’s program
- Discusses how the devil and his angels operated differently when the Lord was here versus now
Lesson 10
God’s Manifold Wisdom
- Finishes the third category of angelic education: God’s manifold wisdom
Focuses on Ephesians chapter 3:10 - Addresses educating principalities and powers (Satan and his cohorts)
- Discusses keeping before them God’s manifold wisdom
- Covers the genius of what God accomplished at the cross of Christ
Lesson 11
Contrasting Angel Operations
- Covers contrasting differences between angel operations in grace versus Israel’s program
- Addresses common passages that are abused and misunderstood today
- Explains how Christians don’t rightly divide the word of truth regarding these passages
- Discusses how these passages actually pertain to Israel’s program
- Emphasizes the need to understand dispensational distinctions
Lesson 12
Summary and Conclusion
- Reviews all the material already covered about educating angels
- Focuses on contrasting differences between angel operations in different dispensations
- Addresses the five categories of angelic education that were covered
- Emphasizes the goal: developing conscious recognition of the impact we make on the angelic realm
- Concludes with hope that the study has provided further insight and understanding of this grand privilege
The overarching theme throughout all lessons is that in this dispensation of grace, we have the unprecedented privilege of educating angels rather than being ministered to by them, which represents a complete role reversal from God’s program with Israel.