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The Meaning of  the  Year 2024 - Archangels, Strategy

Throne
Archangels Around Throne of God
The Meaning of the Year 2024 - Archangels, Strategy
Strategic Goals of the Christian Life
Archangels
Hierarchy
Strategic Failure:  Reaping the Whirlwind
Nebuchadnezzar's Reversionism
Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
God's Strategic Plan for Delivering Israel from Egypt
Conclusion

The Meaning of the Year 2024 - Archangels, Strategy

January 1, 2024 (Day 1):  The meaning of the year 2024 is Archangels and strategy.  Archangels are the highest angelic authorities.  They answer directly to God and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Twenty-four Archangels sit around the Throne of God in Heaven.  They are God's ministers to execute Divine control over Creation.  The Archangels are spirits who are strategically aligned with God and who direct the work of myriads of lower angels to control Creation, including Planet Earth with its land, oceans, atmosphere, environment, people, plants, and animals.

Strategy is a long-range plan or method for achieving a goal or objective.  Strategy implies a careful or comprehensive plan.  The adjective, strategic, means related to strategy and implies a necessary or very important requirement of the strategy.  Examples include strategic plan, objective, goal.

Beginning with Salvation, the strategic objective of the Christian life is always the Lord Jesus Christ (Phil 1:21).  The Christian life begins with faith in Christ and continues after death in Heaven with Christ.  The strategic path through the Tabernacle begins with the Gate of Salvation and ends at the Ark of the Covenant, symbolizing the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Unfortunately, the Christian has strategic enemies, and the worst is Satan.  At the beginning of the Church Age he tried to annihilate all Christians.  Satan also hates the nation of Israel and all Jews.  His strategy is to destroy Israel to prevent fulfillment of the unconditional covenants to Israel.  The giants who opposed Israel had 24 fingers and toes (2 Sa 21:20; 1 Chron 20:6).  Twenty-four is the number for strategy, and when the number 24 appears, it is often related to Satan's strategic attack on Israel.  This is currently occurring in the Hamas attack on Israel in the year 2024, where 24 is for Archangels and strategy.  The Archangel Michael is defending Israel.

Archangels

The Archangels around the Throne of God have golden crowns and wear white robes.  The crowns symbolize highest authority and royalty.  They are like kings.  They answer to the Lord Jesus Christ, the King of kings.  The white robes symbolize sanctification.  They are Elect Angels without sin.  They have miraculous powers in the Spirit World to control Creation.  They can walk around in the Sun and control the nuclear fusion, heat, light, flames, and Sun spots.  They control the genes assigned at birth, a person's life based on Divine Design, and the time, manner, and location of death.

The 24 Archangels around the Throne of God are called "elders" in Revelation (Rev 4:4, 10; 5:8; 11:16; 19:4).  Elder is a title for rank based upon seniority where the oldest person has the highest rank, like the elders of Israel, who were rulers of the tribes.  However, elder applied to angels is not related to age.  It is simply a designation of highest authority.  Elder angels have been translated in various ways, including Archangels, Angelic General Staff, Kings of Arms.  They are also called the "council of the holy ones (angels)" (Ps 89:7).  Archangel seems best because they are not all military authorities.

Strategy

Strategic advance in Israel is designated by 24:  In the dedication of the Tabernacle there were 24 bulls for peace offerings and 2400 shekels of silver utensils (Nu 7:85).  Strategic events often occurred on the 24th of the month (Dan 10:4; Hag 1:15; 2:10, 18, 20; Zech 1:7ff).  And David's Organizational Structure was based on the number 24 (1 Chron chapters 24, 25, 27).  Reference Numbers in Scripture.

Strategy is a method for achieving a long range or long term goal.  Tactics, in contrast, are short range and short term.  Strategy and tactics are often used in military operations.  Strategy may include a long trip to the battlefield, and tactics may involve a local firefight.  Sports also involve strategy and tactics.  In golf fairways are for strategic advance and greens are for tactics.  There are long-range drivers, medium range irons, and short-range putters.  In football strategic advance involves passing, and tactical advance involves running the ball.  Field goals are strategic, and extra points are tactical.  Super highways, interstate highways, and railroads are for strategic advance.  Exit and entrance ramps are transitions that connect to tactical areas like cities or depots.  Air transportation is strategic, but airports are tactical.

Strategic Goals of the Christian Life

The strategic goals of the Christian life are:
1.  Salvation (Acts 4:12; 13:47; Rom 1:6-7, 16; 1 Cor 1:2; 2 Cor 7:10; Eph 1:13; 1 Thess 5:9; Heb 1:14)
2.  Spiritual Maturity (1 Cor 14:20; Eph 4:13; Col 1:28; 1Pet 2:2; Heb 5:14; 6:1)
3.  Spiritual Rapport (Rom 15:29; Eph 4:13; Phil 3:7-8, 14)
4.  Dying (Ps 116:15; Phil 1:21), Resurrection (Luke 17:30; Rom 8:19, 23; 1 Cor 1:7; Phil 3:20-21)
Every Christian is on one of these strategic paths.  The first objective is Salvation.  Every unbeliever is on a strategic path to give him the opportunity for Salvation.  If he reaches God consciousness, God will give him the opportunity to hear the Gospel so that he can be saved.  Salvation is the greatest decision that anyone will ever make.

After Salvation the next objective for a Christian is Spiritual Maturity.  Unfortunately very few ever reach Spiritual Maturity.  The alternative is a life of Divine Punishment and dying in the wilderness like the Exodus generation.  Advancing to Spiritual Maturity requires learning Bible Doctrine, separating from the world, living the New Spiritual Life, and recovering from Reversionism, carnality, and the Four Generation Curse.

The strategic plan for advancing through the wilderness to Spiritual Maturity involves following the plan of the Tabernacle and advancing along the X, Y, Z, and Time axes of the Spiritual life.
1.  Follow the plan of the Tabernacle
2.  X - Walk by faith (2 Cor 5:7; Heb 11:6)
3.  Y – Love the Lord God (Jn 14:15; Heb 3:8)
4.  Z – Be filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph 5:18) and obey God (Jer 11:8)
5.  Time – wait on the Lord (Grace) (Ps 37:34; Isa 40:31)
Spiritual Rapport is the advanced stage of the Spiritual Life beyond maturity.  It is rapport with God, angels, and man in the Spiritual World.  Entering Spiritual Rapport requires defeating Satan.  Job entered after Satan destroyed his life.  Elijah entered after being attacked by Jezebel.  The blessings from Spiritual Rapport include love for Christ and the fullness of blessing of Christ.

The final strategic objective of the Christian Life is dying and the Resurrection.  The Christian looks forward to Dying Grace and Resurrection.  He uses his remaining time to complete his Resurrection clothing in his Edification Complex of the Soul.

Other strategic objectives in life include education, occupation (profession), Right Man - Right Woman, Marriage, family.  For the Christian these must be executed in Grace as part of the Spiritual life.  Life is meant to be executed Spiritually in Grace.  The Right Man - Right Woman  (RM-RW) relationship requires Spiritual Rapport with God and the partner for success.  The Archangel Gabriel oversees the relationship (Matt 1:20ff; Lk 1:26-38).  Finding the right one will not guarantee success.  Until Satan and his demons are removed, relationships are doomed.

Archangels

The only Archangels with names in scripture are Michael and Gabriel.  Some of the others are described, such as the Watchers (Dan 4:13) and the Strong Angel (Rev 5:2).  Others are obviously Archangels based on their functions, such as Weather Angels and Fire Angels.  The following list is an attempt to describe the 24 Archangels according to the functions that need to be performed.  The intent is to provide a perspective of the strategic importance of their work in service to God and man in Creation.

 

Archangels
N
Name
Function
Description
Scripture
1 Archangel Michael General of the Angelic Army Guardian of nations, military powers, and power over life, death, sports (1 Thess 4:16, Jude 1:9) (Dan 10:13, 21; 12:1; Rev 12:7)
2 Archangel Gabriel Director of Angelic College of Heralds Ambassador of human teaching, RM-RW, government, marriage, family, child birth
 Dan 8:16-26; 9:21-27; 10:10-21; Matt 1:20ff; Lk 1:19, 26-38
3 Strong Angel Doom over Land and Sea Powerful angel who stood with one foot on the sea and the other on the land
 Rev 5:2; 10:1, 2, 3, 5-7; 18:21
4 One of the Archangels
"Elders" Rev 5:5
5 Weather Angel Weather for Earth and other planets
 Called "Four Winds"
 		2 Sa 22:11; Job 38:22, 24, 25, 26, 34, 35; Ps 104:3-4; Zech 2:6; Dan 7:2; 8:8; Jer 49:36; Heb 1:7; Rev 7:1-3
6
 Fire Angel Power over fire
Controls fires, volcanoes, smelting, refining
 Ezek 10:2; Rev 14:18; 16:8; 19:17
7
 Land (Geology) Angel
 Land boundaries, earthquakes, geological processes
 Control of Earth's geological processes and the processes of other planets Ps 104:8; Earthquakes (Ex 19:18; 2 Sam 22:8; Ps 18:7; Nah 1:5; Matt 24:7; Rev 6:12; 11:13; 16:18)
8
 Diaspora Angel
 Transporting people
 Dispersing people and bringing scattered or exiled people home
 Jer 31:10; 50:19; Ezek 34:13; Matt 24:31; Mk 13:27
9
 Metrics Angel
 Measurement, math, surveying, numerical analysis
 Measures, calculates; measures recipe quantities; gift of knowledge in palm
 Ezek 40:3; 47:3; Zech 2:1-2; Rev 21:15
10
 Watcher (Guardian Angel)
 Guardian Archangel
 Overseer, protector, helper, and spirit guide of people
 (Dan 4:13; Rev 16:2), (Ps 91:11-13; Dan 3:28; 6:22; 2 Tim 4:17)
11
 Angel of Light
 Control of Light, Darkness
 Controls Light, arts, communication, writing, guard of the Garden of Eden
 Gen 3:24; Job 38:19; Ps 104:4; Isa 4:5; Zech 2:5; Heb 1:7); darkness (Ex 10:21, 22; Joel 2:10; Rev 16:10
12
 Angel of Prayer
 Prayer, incense at Altar; thunder, lightning, earthquake
 Angel at the Altar of Incense in Heaven with incense for prayers of saints
 Rev 8:3, 5
13
 Angel of Animals
Guardian, Watcher of animal life
 Angelic spirits control, guide, and protect animal life
 Gen 31:10, 11, 12; Job 5:22-23; 38:39-41; 39:1-30; 40:15ff; 41:1ff; Ps 29:9; 104:21-22, 25, 26, 27-28; Dan 6:22
14
 Angel of Death and Sheol
 Escorts spirits of the dead and guards their body
 Takes the dead to Hades or Heaven; dark colored; guards bodies of dead
 Job 38:17; Lk 16:22-23
15
 Angelic Choir, Music Director
 Directs angelic choir and music
 Angels sing and play musical instruments
 Job 38:7; Rev 5:8, 9
16
 Healing Angel
 Healing, rescue, repair
Deut 32:39; Ps 103:3; Isa 6:10; Jn 5:7
17
 Angel of Plants
 Control of plant life
 Angelic Watcher over plants; sowing, pruning, reaping; nature loop in palm
 Gen 26:12; Job 38:27; Ps 104:14, 16; Matt 13:3-9
18
 Land Guardian Angel
 Land guardian, hail, fire, mixed with blood
 Third of Earth burned.
 Rev 8:7; 11:19; 16:21
19
 Sea Angel
 Sea turned to blood
 Burning mountain; sea creatures killed; ships destroyed
 Rev 8:8-9; 16:3
20
 Water Angel
 Water turned to blood
 Wormwood star pollutes third of rivers and springs; Euphrates dried up
 (2 Sam 22:10; Ps 104:10; 107:35; Is 41:18), (Rev 8:10-11; 16:12)
21
 Angel of the Universe
 Control of lights in the heavens and heavenly bodies
 Guardian of light sources in the Heavens; third of Sun, Moon, stars darkened; Sun scorches people
 (Rev 8:12; 16:8, 9),  (Job 38:31-33; Joel 2:10; Rev 6:12-13; 18:17)
22
 Guard of the Abyss
 Has key of the Abyss
 Abyss opened; Demon Abaddon
 Rev 9:1-2
23
 Guard of Demon Army 
Guard of Demon Assault Army at Euphrates
 4 Generals at Euphrates released with 200 million cavalry that kill third of mankind
 Rev 9:13-19
24
 Herald of the King
 Herald of the Lord Jesus Christ as Millennial King The Lord reigns on His throne
 Rev. 10:7; 11:15


The last seven Archangels are the seven angels who stand before the Throne of God (Rev 8:2).  They bring the seven Trumpet Judgments (Rev 8:6-7ff), and some of their functions overlap with the Archangels of the seven Bowl Judgments in Revelation 16:1ff.  

Hierarchy
Hierarchy
The hierarchy of the Archangels around the Throne of God in the Spiritual World is shown in the illustration.  The Archangels are strategically aligned with God and the Lord Jesus Christ over the other angels, the Church, Israel, the nations, plants and animals, and the Earth with its land, air, and sea.  This hierarchy corresponds to the hierarchy of the planets in the Spiritual Body of man.
Hebrews 12:22-24 Spiritual Hierarchy
22 But you have come to Mount Zion, even to the city of the Living God, the Heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, 23 To a festal assembly, and to the Church of the firstborn, who have been enrolled in Heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of Righteous ones who have been brought to completion.  24 and to Jesus, the Mediator of the New Covenant to the Church, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than Abel.
These verses are a description of the Spiritual hierarchy of the Church Age Believer, who is looking forward to going to Heaven and living in the New Jerusalem in the Eternal State.  Mount Zion is the Temple Mount in Jerusalem where God dwelt in the Temple.  However, Mount Zion in verse 22 is a metaphorical description of the Temple Mount in Heaven.  Mount Zion in this verse is contrasted with Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Law from the Lord (Heb 12:18, 19).  Verse 22 continues the sentence that began in verse 18.

"The city of the living God" is the city where God lives in Heaven (Heb 13:14 Ps 46:4; 48:2).  Church Age Believers are citizens of the city of God in Heaven (Eph 2:19; Phil 3:20; 1 Pet 2:9; Rev 1:6).  The city of the God is the Heavenly Jerusalem (1 Cor 15:50; Gal 4:26; 2 Ti 4:1, 18; Heb 12:22; 13:10-14).  The Heavenly Jerusalem is also called the New Jerusalem (Rev 21:2, 10).  The Church will live in the New Jerusalem in the Eternal State.

The hierarchy of angels ministering to the Church is described as "to myriads of angels."  A myriad is a very large number, not exactly defined.  The angels are called "a festal assembly" in verse 23.

"The Church of the Firstborn" describes the Church in Heaven.  "The Firstborn" refers to the Lord Jesus Christ the Head of the Church and author of the New Covenant to the Church.   Church Age Believers are in union with Christ.  "Who have been enrolled in Heaven" – Church Age Believers are recorded in the Book of Life (Lk 10:20; Ps 69:28; Is 4:3; Ezek 13:9; Dan 12:1; Phil 4:3; Heb 12:23; Rev 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27).

"God, the Judge of all," is over all in the Spiritual hierarchy.

"And to the spirits of Righteous ones who have been brought to completion" – "spirits" refers to the departed, who have left their physical bodies with sin behind.  These Righteous ones have been brought to completion – having made the ultimate transition to Heaven, fully sanctified.  Believers in bodies of flesh cannot be completely sanctified in this life since they share their bodies with sin and live under the influence of sin from the Cosmic System (Jn 8:34; Rom 6:6).

"And to Jesus" – this is Jesus Christ in Heaven in the hierarchy.  He is "the Mediator of the New Covenant to the Church."  The New Covenant is the New Testament doctrine of the Church (Matt 26:26-27, 28; Lk 22:20; 1Cor 11:25; 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 8:6; 9:15).

"Sprinkled blood" – the sprinkled blood of sacrifices redeemed from sin just as the Blood of Christ provided redemption for all mankind.  The blood was "sprinkled" on the Brazen Altar, Mercy Seat, the Mosaic Covenant, the Tabernacle, and the people (Ex 24:6, 8; Lev 1:5; 8:15, 19; 16:14-16; Heb 9:13, 19, 21).  The "sprinkled blood" of Jesus (Heb 9:14; 1 Pet 1:2) refers to His substitutionary spiritual death which provided redemption and purifies the believer at Salvation resulting in the forgiveness of sin.

The "sprinkled blood" of Jesus "speaks better than Abel."  Abel was the first son who was born-again under the Adamic Covenant, and the first son who was born-again in history.  Abel poured out his blood as a martyr.  But the testimony of Jesus is the reality of the redemption solution; whereas, Abel was only a type. 

Strategic Failure:  Reaping the Whirlwind

Strategy may also be applied to long range failures.  For example a highway or railroad may be blocked, or a person may drop out of school.  The latter may result in financial hardship or a lower standard of life.  Even worse, the person's family may suffer.  Small problems can lead to much bigger problems or even disasters.  The analogy is sowing to the wind and reaping the whirlwind.
Hosea 8:7a
They sow to the wind and reap the whirlwind.  
The whirlwind symbolizes strategic Divine punishment that follows sowing to the wind.  The spies of the Exodus, after spying out the Land in a tactical expedition for 40 days, decided they could not conquer it (strategically).  Their tactical failure resulted in strategic Judgment of 40 years of reversionism followed by the Sin Leading to Death.  They wandered around in reversionism for 38 years and died.

God promised the Land to Abraham, and He brought the Exodus generation out of Egypt to go to that Land and live there.  But they refused to enter because it involved warfare.  They were guilty of rejecting God's Strategic Plan for their life.  Therefore, God sentenced them to 40 years in the wilderness, followed by the Sin Leading to Death.  They were sentenced to 40 years of reversionism with no way out.  They even tried to change their mind and Rebound, and they went out to fight and were struck down and defeated by the Amalekites and Canaanites (Nu 14:39-45).  They could not Rebound because they had the Sin Leading to Death, for which Rebound will not work.  They died in 38 years.  This was a strategic Divine sentence.  It was a strategic failure.  They sowed to the wind and reaped the whirlwind.

The lesson that is learned here is that God punishes immature believers with sentences of a number of years in the wilderness.  If they have not committed the Sin Leading to Death, they can Rebound from their sins.  However, they will still have to serve the years of their sentence in reversionism.  They are reversionists (or carnal) just like their friends in the world.  They have a choice of whether they will resist temptation and sin, but they are reversionists until God promotes them.  Advancing to Spiritual Maturity will involve being sentenced to periods of reversionism in the wilderness.  It is like an actor that is given a part to play.  These people are in the congregation, and a self-righteous facade doesn't change anything.  God decided their punishment, and they are stuck with it.

Sowing and Reaping

A person reaps what he sows (Gal 6:7).  If he sows to his Old Sin Nature by sinning, he will reap corruption, but if he sows to the Spirit (faith in Christ), he will reap Eternal Life (Gal 6:8).

Double Cursing is intensified punishment which may also be strategic failure.  Double cursing is (1) cursing under the Law of Divine Responsibility (what we do to ourselves) and (2) Divine discipline from God.
 
    Job 4:8 Double Cursing
    According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity
    And those who sow sorrow, reap it.

Plowing iniquity and sowing sorrow are temporal decisions under the Law of Volitional Responsibility.  Reaping sorrow is spiritual cursing of Divine discipline.

Nebuchadnezzar's Reversionism

After Daniel led Nebuchadnezzar to the Lord, Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that frightened him (Dan 4:4ff).  In the dream he saw a large green tree (Dan 4:10-12) and a Watcher angel come down from Heaven.  "And behold, a Watcher, even a holy one came down from Heaven" (Dan 4:13).  The "Holy one" is an Elect Angel, and a Watcher is an Archangel, one of the Throne Angels (Rev 4:4).  The Watcher shouted to chop down the tree, but leave the stump and put a band of iron and bronze around it (Dan 4:15).  Nebuchadnezzar was the tree.  The band refers to fetters (bonds) of iron (for strength) and bronze (judgment).  The band applied to Nebuchadnezzar because it makes no sense to apply it to the tree stump.  The Watcher further declared that his (Nebuchadnezzar's) heart would be changed from a man to a beast (Dan 4:16). 
Daniel 4:17
The sentence rests in the decree of the Watchers,
And the command is the decision of the holy ones
For the purpose that the living may know
That the Most High is the ruler over the kingdom of mankind,
And He bestows it to whom He wills;
And the lowliest of mankind He sets over it.
The decree to change Nebuchadnezzar into animalistic insanity was a sentence from the Watchers.  They would hang around to make sure the sentence was carried out.  They would be there for seven years.  The purpose of the sentence was to teach Nebuchadnezzar that the Sovereign God Most High appoints the rulers over mankind.

Daniel was called in to interpret the dream (Dan 4:18-27).  Daniel recognized that the dream was the decree of God for Nebuchadnezzar to become like the beasts of the field and eat grass like cattle for 7 years (Dan 4:25).  The stump left in the ground meant that Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom would be assured after he recognized that it is Heaven that rules (Dan 4:26).

Twelve months later Nebuchadnezzar was walking on the roof of his palace and said to himself, "Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built" (Dan 4:30).   Immediately a voice came from Heaven saying, "King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from you" (Dan 4:31).  He would be driven outside and eat grass like cattle (Dan 4:32).  Nebuchadnezzar was immediately driven out and began eating grass like cattle (Dan 4:33).  At the end of seven years Nebuchadnezzar's reason returned to him along with his majesty and splendor.  His sovereignty was restored, and he resumed his official duties (Dan 4:34-36).

The animalistic condition of Nebuchadnezzar has been called zoanthropy and lycanthropy.  It amounts to having symptoms of being an animal.  However, it was clearly stated to be caused by a Watcher Archangel.  It was possession by an Elect Angel, not even a demon.  The punishment lasted 7 years, where 7 is for categorical suffering.

Archangels cause all manner of infirmities and mental disorders.  They struck the men of Sodom with blindness (Gen 19:11), and Gabriel made Zecharias, the father of John the Baptist, mute (Lk 1:18-22).  Archangels can also heal, rescue, and repair.

The implications of Nebuchadnezzar's story are far reaching.  Nebuchadnezzar was given a warning a year in advance of a terrible judgment.  At the time Nebuchadnezzar was a believer with the strategic goal of reaching Spiritual Maturity.  God decreed for him seven years of punishment of reversionism (insanity) in the wilderness.  The punishment was not decreed originally for any sin that Nebuchadnezzar had committed.  It was Divine punishment from God required for Nebuchadnezzar to advance toward Spiritual Maturity.

The punishment was implemented after Nebuchadnezzar had an arrogant thought about building Babylon and being King.  Who put the thought in Nebuchadnezzar's mind?  Did he imagine it, or did it come from Satan?  It was very likely Satan, but Nebuchadnezzar fully believed it.  For this Nebuchadnezzar was sentenced to seven years of Reversionism in the wilderness acting like an animal.  He didn't know who he was, but he acted out the role of an animal.

So, the road to Spiritual Maturity goes through the wilderness.  And God sentences people to reversion for years.  They are strategic sentences.  In reversion the person does not have complete control of his faculties.  He is like an actor playing a role.  The punishment lasts as long as God decrees, and the Angels and demons ensure that the sentence is carried out.  When the sentence is completed, God will remove that particular type of reverionism, and the person can stand by for an opportunity to face the next test or punishment.  This continues into Spiritual Rapport.

Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah

Three angels who looked like men came to visit Abraham as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day (Gen 18:1, 2).  One of the angels was the Angel of  the LORD, a preincarnate manifestation of the Lord Jesus Christ as an angel.  The other two angels were obviously Archangels.  Abraham served them a meal, and they ate like normal men.  The Lord prophesied the birth of Isaac to Abraham and Sarah.  And the Lord told Abraham that they were going to destroy Sodom.  Abraham knew that Lot was there and tried to negotiate with the Lord not to destroy Sodom.  However, he failed.

The two angels went to Sodom, and Lot met them and invited them to spend the night in his house (Gen 19:1-3).  That night homosexuals came to have relations with the angels (Gen 19:4, 5).  The men tried to force their way into the house, but the angels struck the men with blindness (Gen 19:10, 11).  At dawn the angels took Lot and his family outside the city.   After Sunrise the angels destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah and the whole valley, including people, houses, and vegetation (Gen 19:24-25).  Lot's wife looked back and was turned to a pillar of salt (Gen 19:26).
Genesis 19:24
Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of Heaven,
The region was full of tar pits.  A fire in the right place could cause an explosion and rain down fire and brimstone.5  However, the angels by some means destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.  Note, their talents correspond to those of the first of the Seven Archangels (Rev 8:7).  The reason for the terrible judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah is given in Jude 7.
Jude 7
Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these (Fallen Angels) practiced prostitution and went after strange flesh (Angels), are exhibited as an example by undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.
The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and their sister cities of the Pentopolis were judged for the same reason as the Fallen Angels of Genesis 6, who violated Marriage Culture by marrying women.  "These" is a continuation from the previous verse (Jude 1:6).  Sodom and Gomorrah "practiced prostitution" refers to the ritual prostitution of the Prostitute of Babylon.  The people of Sodom were under the power of the Prostitute of Babylon.  They "went after strange flesh." "Strange flesh" is a different kind of flesh, which refers to the Archangels who went to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah (2 Pet 2:9-10; Gen. 19).  The men of Sodom tried to engage in homosexuality with the Archangels (Gen. 19:5), where the Hebrew jada` means to know carnally (of sodomy).  Therefore, the cities were blown up as a horrible example of "the punishment of eternal fire."

God's Strategic Plan for Delivering Israel from Egypt

The LORD gave Moses His strategic plan for delivering Israel from Egyptian bondage (Exodus 6:1-13, 28-30; 7:1-7).  He began:
Exodus 6:1
The LORD said to Moses, "Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he shall let them go, and with a strong hand he shall drive them out of his land."
The LORD would harden Pharaoh's heart and destroy Egypt so Pharaoh would drive Israel out of Egypt.  Moses and Aaron would be the Lord's servants to lead the people out.

See The Plagues of Egypt, God's Strategic Plan.

Moses performed a serpent miracle in his first meeting with Pharaoh, but Pharaoh's magicians duplicated it with their magic.  The staff of Moses became a serpent.  Then it became a staff again.  The miracle was performed by angels and demons per God's decree and Satan's counterattack.

God sent nine plagues, followed by death of the firstborn to destroy Egypt and free Israel.   Note that all of these things were capable of being performed by Archangels.  The plagues were:  Blood, frogs, gnats, dog flies, murrain, boils, hail, locusts, and darkness.  The angels could turn water into blood and make animals, insects, murrain, hail, and darkness  These are all powers of the Archangels.  The death of the firstborn was also executed by angels, including Michael and the Angel of Death.   

Conclusion

The meaning of the year 2024 is Archangels and strategy.  The Archangels are the 24 Angels who sit around the Throne of God in Heaven.  They worship the Lord Jesus Christ, and they are strategically aligned with him to implement His Divine control of Creation, including the Heavens, Earth, land, air, sea, people, animals, plants, and the environment.  Strategy is a method for achieving a long term goal or objective.  Satan's strategy is to destroy Israel.  Therefore, the number 24 is often associated with a Satanic attack on Israel, such as the current terrorism from Hamas.  Strategic advance in Israel was often associated with the number 24.  Strategic events often occurred on the 24th of the month.

The strategic objectives of the Christian life include:  Salvation, Spiritual Maturity, Spiritual Rapport, and Dying and Resurrection.  Every Christian is pursuing one of these objectives.  Other strategic objectives include education, family, job, marriage, Right Man - Right Woman. and overcoming the Four Generation Curse.

The alternative to Salvation is dying and going to Hades.  The alternative to Spiritual Maturity is dying in the wilderness in reversionism, like the Exodus generation.  The Exodus generation was delivered from Egypt by Archangels who destroyed Egypt with nine plagues followed by death of the firstborn.  When the Exodus generation  refused to conquer the Promised Land, they received a 40-year sentence ending in the Sin unto Death. 

God punishes people who are advancing toward a strategic objective.  He sentences them to reversionism for a period of time.  He sentenced King Nebuchadnezzar to seven years of animalistic insanity for him to learn that the appointment of rulers is God's Sovereign decision - not man's or Satan's.  Archangels called Watchers implemented God's judgment on Nebuchadnezzar.
 
Tactical failures can result in strategic cursing.  Small problems can lead to big problems and strategic failure.  The analogy is sowing to the wind and reaping the whirlwind (Hos 8:7a).  Problems of the whirlwind may be implemented by Archangels.  Because they were engaged in prostitution under the power of demons, like the Satanic attack on Marriage by the Fallen Angels of Genesis 6, Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by Archangels.  There were not 10 believers in Sodom (Gen 18:20-21, 32).  The two Archangels rained brimstone and fire on Sodom, destroyed the homes, and killed the people and vegetation.  However, the Archangels rescued Lot and his daughters.  Lot's wife rejected the command of the Archangels.  She looked back and was turned to a pillar of salt.  Zecharias, the father of John the Baptist, was left mute when he questioned Gabriel.

Archangels will execute the Trumpet and Bowl Judgments in the Tribulation to destroy the devil's world.  Archangels are assigned to leaders of nations to protect them from Satan's throne demons (Dan 10:13, 21).  Archangels command billions of angels to accomplish God's control over Creation.  Even though we don't normally deal directly with Archangels, we are strategically aligned with them through the angels in our life.  It is truly seamless integration.  Our Guardian Angel helps keep us in line with the strategic direction of the Archangels and the Plan of God.

References

1.  Larry Wood, "Control Room in Heaven," Sept. 14, 2013.
2.  Larry Wood, "Fellowship with God," Dec. 7, 2022.
3.  Larry Wood, "Grace," Jan. 31, 2016.
4.  Larry Wood, "Numbers in Scripture," Dec. 19, 2023.
5.  Bryant Wood, "Is there any evidence for the Biblical story of Sodom and Gomorrah's destruction by fire and brimstone (sulfur)?" Associates for Bible Research, 2001.
6.  Larry Wood, "The Plagues of Egypt," June 22, 2017.
7.  Larry Wood, "Prophecy of Peace on Earth," Sept. 23, 2013

Released January 1, 2024

Author:  Larry Wood