Introduction

Starting in 1993, numerous reputable people have told me, all unsolicited, of experiences with angels they either had personally or knew about. In most cases, the angels appeared to provide help in some distressful situation. However, several of the incidents, including the ones below, are particularly interesting for two reasons: (1) they contain a message (literally, the word "angel" means "messenger") and, (2) the incidents were brought to my personal attention under unusual circumstances, making me think God sent them my way. In each case, the angel delivered basically the same startling announcement of the soon return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Incident # 5 appears to be from the Spirit of God Himself. Why me? Why did these stories come to me? My only guess is because I have the inclination to pursue them, to write about them, and to tell you about them. In God's great love, it may all be just for you.

Caution

It is important to stress that any mystical experience, even messages from angels, must be carefully judged against God's Holy Word, the Bible. New Agers and other non-Christians claim angelic revelations while rejecting the cross of Christ which paid the price for our spiritual blessings and access to heavenly things. They are deceived and usually involved with demonic spirits. A pertinent fact about the experiences below is that they came to me after I had already concluded their general message from the Scriptures. Therefore, they were confirming messages. Nevertheless, judge them for yourselves. Note that I solidly confirmed items 3-5 below, but not 1-2.

Encounter # 1

 I had just finished writing an article on the extensive evidence of Christ's soon return and its relation to the soon-coming year A.D. 2000. (Free copy available upon request. See address at end. For online viewers, a hypertext link to that article is also provided) At the end of the article, I admitted that dating errors may affect the precision of our calendar and our understanding of biblical timing, so I closed by safely hedging that the Lord's return may actually be later than the year A.D. 2000, but that it may also be sooner.

With uncanny (and, I believe, divine) timing, the postman came within about the same hour, maybe same moment but I cannot be sure, bringing a letter from someone with no knowledge that I was writing the article, or even interested in the subject. The letter described an intriguing incident, seemingly an answer to my speculation. I was not able to trace this incident to the actual source, but the timing and manner in which it came to me seem to carry a certain authenticity:

A Christian worker was driving her car and passed two hitchhikers. She had a very strong feeling that she should stop. Against her usual judgment, she turned around to pick up the two men. The strangers got into the back seat. The driver quickly directed the conversation to Jesus, and asked them, "Do you believe that Jesus will come again?" "Oh, yes, and we believe He is coming very soon," one responded. "Do you believe He will come back within ten years?" she asked. "Sooner," was the one-word reply. "Do you believe He will return in five years?" she asked. "No! Sooner!" responded the one who had been quiet. After hearing those words, the lady glanced in the rear view mirror -- and she was shocked to discover that the strangers were not there. They had suddenly and unexplainably vanished!

Encounter # 2

By another odd coincidence, after I shared the above incident with a friend in California, he said he had just heard of a similar incident. It reportedly happened in the Atlanta, Georgia area, reportedly on I-285 near "Spaghetti Junction." The timing is unknown, but reports lead me to believe it happened in early 1993. I traced the incident from California to a United Airlines pilot in Chicago, then to at least 15 others in Atlanta, including a medical doctor. Each person with whom I have talked has seemed highly credible, although I could not trace it to the source.

A lady passed a hitchhiker on the expressway, giving no thought to stopping. But she heard a voice say, "Pick him up." She did not stop, but continued on. But she again heard the voice: "I told you to pick him up." She now felt compelled to go back. She turned off the expressway, then got back on via an access road. She thought it would be unlikely that the person would still be there, but if he was, she would pick him up. To her surprise, the man was still there, so she stopped. He got into the car. They chatted for a few moments, then after a brief pause, the stranger said, "Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ is coming soon?" On hearing that, the woman glanced toward the stranger -- but he was not there. He had suddenly and unexplainably vanished! She was so shaken that she had to pull off the expressway. After sitting there a few minutes trying to regain her composure, a policeman pulled up behind her, got out of his car, went up to her window and said, "Ma'am, is there a problem?" She replied, "Officer, if I told you what just happened to me, you wouldn't believe it." The policeman urged her to tell him anyhow. She described what had just happened. He responded, "Ma'am, normally I would think that you were one of the craziest people I have ever seen, but you are the seventh person today to give me this same report."

Encounter # 3 (CONFIRMED)

While in the process of investigating the above two incidents, I learned of this next amazing one from another person in California, although it took place in Tennessee. It happened just past midnight on March 26, 1993, to Vincent Tan, an analytical chemist who works in Chattanooga. I spent weeks personally tracing this incident and have confirmed it with two reputable Christian leaders, his pastor and, finally, even Vincent himself. The following is a precisely recorded account:

Vincent was born Tan Ban Soon in Singapore of Chinese, Buddhist parents. A few years ago as a young boy in Singapore, he was in the library reading a book on nuclear physics and discovered anoffer for a Bible course stuck between some pages. He ordered the course and later became a Christian. He came to the U.S. to attend a Christian college, then gave himself the western name of Vincent. After four years, he graduated with a major in science. He has been very active in his church and in sharing his faith. On the night of Thursday, March 25, 1993, Vincent was working late in his laboratory to complete tests due on Friday.

During the evening he moved his car close to the front door of the building, since there had recently been criminal activity in the area. From time to time he looked out the window into the almost empty parking lot to check on his car. At 1:30 a.m. he finished working in his lab. As he was preparing to lock the door, he saw a person standing by the passenger side of his car. Vincent assumed the man was trying to steal his car. He noted that the stranger was of medium build with clean-cut, straight hair and had on a T-shirt, blue jeans and white tennis shoes. Unsure what to do, he went back into the lab and prayed, "Lord, help me to do what I have to do. Do I have to use chi-sao?" Chi-sao (pronounced "chee'-sow-o") is a form of martial art in which Vincent is proficient.

To be extra safe, he looked around the lab and picked up an 18-inch metal rod, held it behind him and stuck his head out the door. He said, "Hi, can I help you?" The stranger answered, "Hi, Vincent." Startled, Vincent asked, "Do I know you?" The stranger replied, "Not really." "What is your name? Who are you?" Vincent probed. The stranger said, "I have the name of your primary and secondary school." He added, "I'm a friend. You don't have to use chi-sao or the rod on me."

His voice had unusual authority, and it seemed he knew the question before it was asked. Now Vincent was really startled. No one, not even his best friend in this country, was familiar with chi-sao, nor did anyone even know that he knew it. Also, there was no way the stranger could have seen the rod behind his back. Vincent later reflected that the stranger had used terminology ("primary and secondary school") of Singapore and not the U.S., and that name of his school back in Singapore was St. Gabriel. The stranger was saying that his name was Gabriel! "How do you know that?" Vincent asked. "I know," the stranger replied. "By the way, Mum is fine." Vincent was startled again. Just the week before, his sister had called from Singapore saying that his mother had heart complications, and Vincent had been quite worried about her. Gabriel continued, "You love the Lord very much, don't you?" "That's right," Vincent replied. "He loves you very much, too," Gabriel said. Then he added, "He is coming very, very soon." He seemed to emphasize the "very soon." Vincent answered, "That's great!" Gabriel then asked, "Can I have a cup of water?" Vincent said, "Sure," and turned momentarily to get him the water. Then he decided to invite the stranger inside to drink from the water fountain. He turned back to invite him inside -- but Gabriel was not there. He had suddenly and unexplainably vanished! Vincent had not turned his head for more than three seconds.

There was no place for the stranger to have gone. Puzzled, and not wanting to go back into the lab, Vincent laid the metal rod down by the front door and headed to his home outside of Chattanooga. When he came back to work later that morning, he wondered if he had dreamed the whole experience. As a scientist, he wanted to prove whether it had really happened. When he got to the building, he found the metal rod lying by the door just where he had left it. He knew he had not been dreaming. Upon entering the lab, the first thing he did was to lock himself in the rest room and kneel in prayer. "Show me what to do, Lord. I know what I remember. If I'm supposed to share it, I must believe it myself," Vincent pleaded. He then sat down at his computer and recorded every word said and everything that had happened.

That night, March 26, 1993, in a dream Vincent relived the whole experience, seeing himself, and word for word hearing the whole conversation. He awoke at about 3:30 a.m. and wrote down every word in the dream and the description of the stranger. What he wrote from the dream confirmed every detail he had written earlier. Also, a week after the experience, he learned that his mother had received needed surgery and was recuperating nicely -- and that the medical decision about her improved condition came a week earlier at about the very same hour as he was talking with Gabriel!

On July 29, 1993 I asked Vincent what effect this experience has had on him. He said he believes more strongly now that we should be ready every day for the Lord's coming, and not worry about which day He will come. He said the experience has intensified his dedication, causing him to spend more devotional time than before, wanting to know more about God and be closer to Him. For some time, even before that experience, Vincent said he had been asking God, "Am I ready, right now?" Now, more meaningfully than ever, this writer is asking that same question.

Encounter # 4: Vincent's Second (CONFIRMED)

I recently confirmed personally with Vincent that he has had another encounter, this time with an unnamed angel, on Thursday, December 23, 1993. Like the above, the following is an accurate record of exactly what happened and words exchanged.

Two Significant Prior Events. There are two events that have a bearing on this one. First, in July, 1993, Vincent had a dream. He saw himself standing at the door of a big room. He saw many candles, but not all of them were lit. He asked himself in the dream why the unlit candles. Then he heard a sad voice behind him saying, "If only all of them were lit." He turned around but didn't see anyone. A week later he had the exact same dream. Vincent shared the dreams in his Bible study and said he hoped someday the Lord would show him the meaning of the dreams.

Second, three months later in October, 1993 a stranded motorist waved Vincent down and asked him to jump start his car. Vincent stopped but did not have a cable. However, Vincent asked the man if he believed in God. The man asked what could God do. Vincent told him he believed that God could help in any situation such as this if we ask Him. So Vincent prayed out loud for God's help. After he prayed Vincent noticed a coat hanger on the road. Somehow, he figured out a way to break the coat hanger in two and use one part to connect the positive terminals and the other part to touch the two auto bodies together as ground. The man's car started. He looked at Vincent and said, "You sure have a powerful God!" Vincent said, "I sure do. All we have to do is believe in Him."

The man said, "I'll have to think about that," and left. Two days later, Vincent got a jumper cable for his truck. The December 23, 1993 Experience. Shortly after 11 p.m., December 23, 1993, Vincent was in his truck returning home from visiting a friend near Chattanooga. About four miles away from the friend's home, he saw a truck alongside the road with its hood up and with an old man, estimated at about age 75, standing in front of it. Vincent was always wary of stopping for strangers, and believed one must really be led of the Lord in order to do so. He felt he should stop.

He walked up to the man and asked if anything was wrong, to which the man replied that he a dead battery. Vincent asked if he could help in any way. The man asked that Vincent go get his jumper cable out of the truck. Vincent was surprised that he said this, as if knowing that Vincent had a jumper cable, especially since he had only recently obtained one. Vincent himself had forgotten that he had the cable, but when the old man told him about it he remembered. It was very dark and Vincent had to use his flashlight to see to connect his end of the cable. Then he turned around to discover that the man had already connected his end, even in the dark and with no flashlight. That seemed impossible, and startled Vincent. Vincent said, "I need to do something first." The man looked at him and said, "I did it already." Vincent said, "Did what?" The man said, "I placed the bricks by your tires. That's what you want, isn't it?" The man had no way of knowing that Vincent had two bricks in his truck or that he wanted to block his tires with them because he didn't trust his hand brake and because the gear would have to be in neutral to start the other truck. Vincent checked and discovered that the man had placed the bricks behind the exact same tires that Vincent wanted.

At this point, Vincent was convinced that this was not a natural person. And after the experience in March, Vincent had decided that if the Lord ever gave him the privilege of another encounter with an angel, he had many questions he wanted to ask. But he had a sudden feeling come over him and some force caused his mouth to be kept shut. He was not able to say anything except to respond to whatever the old man wanted or said. Vincent was now ready to start the truck, and the old man said, "Can we wait in your truck and have my truck charged up?" Vincent agreed and they sat in his truck. The old man spoke first and said, "Can we pray? God can work miracles -- even start a car with a coat hanger." (The previous incident with the coat hanger job was a car and not a truck!)

At this, Vincent said to himself that this stranger must be an angel! The old man prayed: "Oh most holy and powerful God in heaven, we know you are coming very, very soon. Help us now in your own time and way. In Jesus' Name. Amen." Vincent said the man's voice was so powerful and assuring that it sent chills through him. After the prayer the man asked Vincent, "Do you believe the Lord is coming soon?" Vincent said yes. Then the man said, "He is coming very, very soon, and we need to be ready now and always." Then he said, "Can I use your Bible?" Vincent agreed, then without any word from Vincent the man reached into the glove compartment for the Bible, already knowing where it was located. The man asked Vincent, "Do you read your Bible.?" Vincent replied that he tried to read it every day. The man said, "That's very good. It's unfortunate that many do not do that. Having Bible studies is like being in a big room with many candles that are lit."

Vincent knew he had God's answer about his dreams six months earlier. The unlit candles meant many people were not spending time studying God's Word! Now Vincent had absolutely no doubt that this was an angel. It was very dark, but the man took Vincent's King James Bible and, without searching, flipped immediately to the exact page, to Matthew, chapter 24. Then Vincent shined the flashlight on the page as the man read verse 36: "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." He then jumped down to verse 42: "Watch therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." Then again, as if knowing exactly where the page was, without searching he flipped to John, chapter 14, and read verses 1-3: "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." Then again, he amazingly flipped directly to Revelation 3, verse 11, and read: "Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown." With that, the man put the Bible back in the glove compartment.

Vincent reflected that all three passages, and everything the man said, was about the Lord's return. After reading, the man put the Bible back and said, "The truck is ready." He started the truck and Vincent said he would follow him for awhile to make sure everything was okay. The man said, "Thank you very much for your help. By the way, I left a small token for you. It will be enough to fill up your car tomorrow." That was strange, because there was no way for the man to know that Vincent had a car in addition to his truck. Vincent followed him about a mile with the man's tail lights clearly in view, then as they were going around a curve, he suddenly vanished from view. He and his truck just disappeared.

Thinking his vision may have been obstructed by trees or something, Vincent even went back the next day during the daylight and retraced everything. There were no trees or anything obstructing his view. There was no human explanation. Also the next day, as he always does on Friday, Vincent took his car to the service station to fill up the tank with gasoline, so it would be full for the weekend. He had forgotten what the man had said about leaving a token "to fill up your car tomorrow." Vincent put $2.32 worth of gas in his car, then tried to round it off to $2.35 or $2.40. But he could only get it up to $2.34 and it stopped. It just would not take more than exactly $2.34. Vincent then left to visit a friend's house, but remembered that he had left the friend's Christmas gift in his truck, so he went back home. When home, Vincent decided to clean his truck a bit before leaving. While doing so, he found some money on the front seat, passenger's side, underneath his glove. The money consisted of two one-dollar bills, a quarter, a nickel, and four pennies -- exactly $2.34!

Comments

Incident # 3 above about "Gabriel" motivated me to review references in the Bible to the angel Gabriel. By name, Gabriel appeared to three people. The first was to the prophet Daniel in about 550 B.C. He gave Daniel a vision of the future, including the timing of Christ's first coming. And similar to the message to Vincent, he said to Daniel, "You are greatly beloved." Later, as recorded in Luke, he appeared to Zechariah, saying these awesome words, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God," as he announced the birth of John the Baptist; then shortly thereafter he appeared to the virgin Mary to announce the birth of Christ. Gabriel's main function in both Old and New Testaments seems to be in connection with announcing the coming of the Son of God to the world. Angels who appear as humans are not without biblical precedent. For example, two angels came to Sodom to warn Lot before they destroyed the city (Genesis 19). They visited Lot's home, ate with him, and even spent the night! They appeared as such "real people" that Sodom's homosexuals tried to accost them and have sex with them, but the angels struck them blind. The next day, because of its blatant wickedness, God destroyed the city by fire (an act that would be considered "homophobic" and not "politically correct" in America today).

Angels Discovered Singing End-time Song in Rural Chinese Worship Service in 1995!

This is a totally different kind of angel incident, but with a similar message and no less powerful. In May, 1995 I received this most electrifying report from a friend who has been a missionary to China for several years. To protect him and his contacts in China, I must not reveal his name. But for you to better understand his credibility, let me explain that I have known him for many years. He is a graduate of a prestigious theological seminary and is a former pastor. My friend is an intelligent and balanced servant of God. He is not given to sensationalism. The following is a summary of his recent report to me.

The whole province of Shandong, in eastern China (population: 57 million), is in the midst of a sweeping revival. For fear of arrest, believers meet secretly in house churches, often by candlelight. At a 1995 meeting in Shandong, everyone was singing "in the Spirit" together (1 Corinthians 14:15), not in their own language, but "as the Spirit gave them utterance," all in harmony but all singing different words.

Someone audiotaped the meeting. Later, when they played back the cassette, they were shocked! What they heard was not what had happened there at all -- but the sound of angels singing in Mandarin -- a song they had never heard before, and with a musical accompaniment that had not been there!!! When my friend first heard the tape, before anyone told him what it was, he exclaimed, "Those are angels!!" Actually, there was no other explanation. A Chinese Christian co- worker translated the tape. Below are the actual words sung by the angels! Note that the words express ideas with which these rural Chinese peasants were not familiar.

"The End is Near: Rescue Souls"

The famine is becoming more and more critical. There are more and more earthquakes. The situation is becoming more and more sinister. People are fighting against each other, nation against nation. Disasters are more and more severe.

The whole environment is deteriorating. Disasters are more and more severe. People's hearts are wicked, and they do not worship the true God. Disasters are more and more severe. Floods and droughts are more and more frequent. There is more and more homosexuality and incurable diseases. Disasters are more and more severe.

Floods and droughts are more and more frequent. There is more and more Homosexuality and incurable diseases. Disasters are more and more severe.

The climates are becoming more and more abnormal. The earth is more and more restless. The skies have been broken. The atmosphere is distorted. Disasters are more and more severe.

Chorus:

The end is near. The revelation of love has been manifested. Rise up, rise up, rescue souls. The end is near. Rise up, rise up, rescue souls.
 
 
 

Encounter # 5: God Visits Man Lost in Underwater Cave (CONFIRMED)

This incident is added even though not about angels. Apparently it was an encounter with the Spirit of God Himself, and with a similar message! It is about David Gant of Bryant, Alabama, a logging company owner. I have talked with both David and his wife personally and am totally convinced of his credibility. His story of being trapped in an underwater cave for 20 hours, then miraculously rescued, received international secular news coverage in August of 1992. But virtually all the media ignored and omitted the most significant part of the story -- how God actually visited David in that cave, saved and cleansed his soul, then gave him a startling message to tell the world! Here is a summary of David's 20-hour ordeal and divine encounter.

David Gant got lost while scuba diving with two friends, looking for catfish, in underwater caves in the Tennessee River during the night of August 15-16, 1992. His two friends got out safely. David's air supply was very limited, but he found a small, 18-inch high air pocket and clung to a stalactite for 14 hours, trusting in his own ability to somehow get out. Finally, he decided he was going to die and he prayed for the Lord to save his soul. He had been brought up in the church but had turned from God at about age 15. David is age 34 now. At the very moment his prayer was finished, the presence of God strongly came into the cave with him and he began to sense what felt like a hand go down into his heart and center of his being. The hand withdrew full of the evil that was within him. David said as it came out he has never felt better, cleaner and happier in his whole life. He was ecstatic with joy. The hand did it again, and his feeling doubled. Then again.

Then the Lord actually turned him over and baptized him in the same water! David knew that God had saved him, and was so joyful and peaceful that he asked the Lord to take him and not leave him in this world. Instead, the Lord spoke to him very clearly and said: "I want you to go and get your family ready to meet Me." Then he said, "Go tell the whole world that I am coming back for my children before the year 2000" (emphasis supplied). The message was clear and without question. The Lord then gave David a vision of his rescue -- being found, coming out in a boat, finding a crowd of hundreds on shore waiting for him, giving his testimony. Six hours later, David was rescued, just like as it was detailed in the vision. And as in the vision, David told the crowd about what God had done, and His "message." David's life has totally changed. In obedience, David has shared this message in many churches and meetings. This message will undoubtedly go around the world. Maybe the Lord would use you, dear reader, to help by copying and sharing it with others.

Conclusion

Jesus said His disciples (not necessarily end-time believers) would not know the "day or hour" (only a 24-hour period) of His return, but Scriptures do clearly indicate that seekers will know approximately. And there is overwhelming evidence that the return of the Lord Jesus Christ will be soon. According to the two strangers who appeared to Vincent in 1993, it will be "very, very soon." Readers are permitted and encouraged to copy and share this article freely with others. For free copy of Christ's Soon Return: The Overwhelming Evidence, send self-addressed, stamped, business-size envelope to

Jim Bramlett 10637 Crystal Springs Court, Orlando, FL 32825.

Specify "Christ's Soon Return." May the special presence and peace of the Holy Spirit rest upon each person who reads this article, and may God's angels be with you at all times.