"He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways" (Psalms 91:11).
Angels are mentioned nearly 300 times in the Bible. The word "angel" comes from the Greek word "aggelos"
which means "messenger." The Bible says in the 12th chapter of Hebrews that when we get to the Heavenly Jerusalem we will be met by such a large gathering of angels that they will be innumerable.
Scripture tells us that the main activity of angels is to worship and praise God but they also carry out a variety of other tasks. For example we know that they serve as messengers to communicate God’s will. Sometimes they are sent to deliver us from danger as they did in the fifth chapter of Acts (verse 19) when an angel released the apostles from prison. An angel did the same thing again for Peter in the 12th chapter of Acts (verses 7-11). And then sometimes they are sent to strengthen and encourage us. Angels strengthened Jesus after His temptation by the devil in the wilderness (Matthew 4:11). Angels encouraged the apostles to continue preaching after releasing them from prison (Acts 5: 19 & 20). God sometimes uses angels as a means of answering prayers. Angels rejoice when someone repents and accepts Christ as Lord and Saviour - "I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth...." (Luke 15:7). We also know that angels sometimes take on the appearance of ordinary men, the Bible instructs us to be hospitable to strangers because we may be entertaining angels unaware (Hebrews 13:2).
Many Christians do not realize that there is a continuous conflict raging in the heavenly realms that goes far beyond anything that we can imagine, within a realm that we can not see. A conflict between good and evil, between the angels of God and the fallen angels of satan. It is an incredibly fierce battle and one that will continue right up to the moment of Christ’s return. An example of this unseen battle is given to us in the tenth chapter of Daniel. Daniel was in mourning because in a vision he had seen many terrible calamities that were going to take place but he did not understand the vision and so he began praying to God for understanding. For three weeks Daniel prayed and mourned and fasted, eating no bread or meat for three weeks. Then one day Daniel saw a man approaching in the distance, a man described by Daniel as being clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold, his body was like a precious emerald and his face had the appearance of lightning, his eyes were as lamps of fire and his arms and feet like polished brass, and his voice was like the voice of a multitude (Daniel 10: 5-6). Literally all of Daniel’s strength left him and he fell to the ground (Daniel 10: 8-9), but the angel touched him and his strength returned (Daniel 10: 10-11). And the angel said to Daniel, "from the very first day that you humbled yourself and prayed, God heard your prayer even before you finished praying, and I was sent immediately to assist you, but for 21 days I was detained by the angel of Persia, but the archangel Michael came to help me and I am now here to make you understand your vision" (Daniel 10: 12-14). (The angel of Persia was one of the fallen angels working under the direction of satan). And when the angel had finished explaining Daniels vision to him the angel said "now I return to fight with the angel of Persia" (Daniel 10:20).
It is imperative we understand that this battle which is constantly taking place is NOT a battle between two "equal" powers. Satan and all the other fallen angels only have as much power as God permits them to have. The Lord is the One Who reigns as the Supreme King of the universe and it is His will and His will alone that continues to be carried out. But satan knows that his time is short. He knows that his time is running out and so he uses in any way that he can the limited power that God has granted him. Just look around and you will see all the spiritual slashes, cuts and bruises that satan has inflicted upon every continent, upon every nation, and upon the lives of millions of people all over the world. Satan makes use of every opportunity available to him - but as John the apostle said, "greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4). It is God and God alone Who is all-powerful. He is also all-loving, and His boundless care and love for us is evidenced in the ministry of His angels.
There are millions of angels at God’s command standing at attention to assist us as God instructs them. When the priests and pharisees arrested Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane and Simon Peter tried to protect Jesus with his sword Jesus said to him "put your sword away, don’t you know that at this very moment I could pray to my Father, and he would instantly give me more than twelve legions of angels ?" (Matthew 26:53). Twelve legions would be 72,000 angels.
One of the best-known angels in the Bible is Gabriel, who had the privilege of announcing the future births of both John the Baptist and Jesus. Gabriel said of himself "I am Gabriel, I stand in the presence of God" (Luke 1:19). Another well-known angel is Michael. Michael is an archangel and is described as the "chief angel." When satan went to war against God in Heaven it was Michael who led the angels in a victorious battle against satan.
There are hundreds of instances of unnamed angels appearing and working on behalf of God as both messengers and warriors. Angels visited Lot in Sodom to warn him and protect him (Genesis 19:1). When King Sennacherib of Assyria tried to capture Jerusalem, an angel went into the camp of the Assyrians one evening and slew 185,000 men to protect Jerusalem (Isaiah 37:36). And though it does not go in depth, the Bible also speaks of "guardian" angels, Psalm 34: 7 says "The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear them, and delivereth them."
Some of the mightiest angels are known as the "cherubim" among whom are the remarkable "four living creatures" described in Ezekiel chapter one as having "four faces." They are also described by John in Revelation chapter 4 as four living creatures around the throne covered with eyes in the front and the back with the four faces of a lion, an ox, a man, and a flying eagle. God also placed cheribum with whirling, flaming swords to guard the gate of access back into the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve were expelled to keep them from eating of the Tree of Life.
Clearly one of the many ways in which God demonstrates His Love for us is through the work of His angels. But often times we become so caught up and involved with the everyday pressures of life that we fail to experience and enjoy the many ways that God expresses His Love for us. We need to allow more room for God, and we need to leave room as well for God’s Angels to dance in our life!
Within man, God has placed the divine seed of "choice." It’s up to each individual to make the choice to either accept Jesus Christ - or reject Him. The greatest demonstration of God’s Love for you and me took place when He offered His Son upon the cross and the angel announced to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary at the tomb where Jesus had been buried the most glorious and wonderful statement that mankind would ever hear, "He is not here, FOR HE IS RISEN!" (Matthew 28:6). PRAISE GOD!
God bless you,
Mark Shutts
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