What Do You Know About Angels?
Hebrews 1:14
I had a visit with my family doctor this morning. Before I left, he asked me, “What do you know about angels?” I responded, “Not much.” Then, I proceeded to tell him what little I do know. The following is basically what I told him.
The
word “angel” means “messenger.” An angel is essentially a messenger from God,
one created and sent of God. Without question, there is a specific order of
heavenly beings called “angels.” The fallen angels (Rev. 12::4), are commonly
referred to as “devils” or demons (James
The Angel of The Covenant
The Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, is called “the Messenger (Angel) of the covenant” (Mal. 3:1). Commonly, in the Old Testament, when we read of “the Angel of the Lord” appearing to men, as he did to Abraham, Monoah and his wife, etc., the one appearing was the Son of God himself. Those pre-incarnate manifestations of Christ were preludes to the coming of our great Savior to accomplish the redemption of his people.
To say that Christ is “the Angel of the Lord” does not, in any way, contradict the fact of his eternal Deity. He is both Jehovah and Jehovah’s Messenger. In his eternal Deity, our Savior is God himself, over all and blessed forever. In his mediatoral capacity, as our Surety and Substitute, he is “the Angel of the Lord.”
As the Angel of
the Lord, “the Messenger of the
covenant,” the Son of God comes to men to reveal and fulfil all the
stipulations of the covenant of grace for us (Jer. 31:31-34; Heb. 8:6-13),
thereby securing our “eternal redemption”
(Heb.
The Angels of The Churches
In
Revelation 1:20, and in chapters two and three, the pastors of local churches
are called “angels,” because faithful
men, gifted and called of God to the work of the ministry, are God’s messengers
to his people. Not all pastors are designated “angels;” but all who are truly God’s messengers to the souls of
men are to be esteemed as such. Why? Because God has ordained the salvation of
his elect by the hearing of the gospel (Rom.
People often say, “I follow the Lord. I will not follow a man.” Certainly, there is a sense in which this is right. Every man is responsible for his own soul. Each one must search the Scriptures, and make certain that the preachers he hears are true to the Word of God. God’s servants are not inspired, infallible instructors to be blindly followed, or priests to whom you trust your soul. Yet, if anyone follows Christ, he must hear, heed, obey, and follow those men who are the angels of God to their souls (Heb. 13:7, 17).
Such faithful men are portrayed as “ beasts (living creatures)” before the throne of God (Rev. 4:6-11). By the gifts and grace of God the Holy Spirit, they are bold as lions, strong as oxen, compassionate as men, and soar to heaven like eagles, seeking a word from God for the souls of men. Like the seraphs described in Isaiah 6, they are humble, conscious of their unworthiness, but swift to do the will and work of God to which they are called. With their eyes always fixed on the blood, they ever set forth the glorious holiness of God. By the unction of God’s Spirit, when God speaks by his servants to the hearts of chosen sinners, they expose the sins of men and bring the gospel like live coals from off the altar, and proclaim to all who believe, “Thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin is purged!” Gospel preachers, the angels of God to the souls of men, lead sinners in the worship of God, giving “glory and honor and thanks to him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever.” Blessed are those people to whom God has sent a faithful man, as an angel of God, to minister to their souls.
Ministering Spirits
Then, there are those heavenly, ministering spirits, who were created and sent forth by our heavenly Father to minister to (serve the needs of) those who shall be the heirs of salvation.
God almighty has an elect people scattered through all the human race, through all parts of the earth, who must and shall be saved. For every chosen sinner there is an appointed time of love when he must be called by grace (Ezek. 16:6-8). It is the work of the heavenly angels to preserve and protect chosen sinners until the time of their calling. They are instruments of God in prevenient grace, whereby the elect are kept, provided for, and secretly directed, through all the days of their rebellion, until they are brought at last to the feet of the Savior.
Yet, the angels’
ministry to God’s elect is not over once the chosen are called. The
superstition regarding each person having a guardian
angel is as foreign to the Scriptures as the idea that babies who die in
infancy become angels. God’s elect do not have a guardian angel. All God’s
angels are our guardians. None of us will ever know, this side of eternity,
what wonders the angels of God have done to protect and care for us during the
time of our sojourn on this earth. When our pilgrimage here is over, the angels
of God carry God’s Lazaruses away to glory (Luke
The angels of God are highly intelligent spirits, excellent in wisdom and power, and are the secret servants of Emmanuel’s kingdom, ministering to all who shall be heirs of God’s salvation. Could we see how they watch over us, how they guard us from countless evils, did we but know how safely they keep us in the midst of countless foes, we would like the prophet’s servant see the mountains around us full of horses and chariots (2 Kings 6:17). If a single angel destroyed seventy thousand at God’s command (2 Sam. 24:15), and a hundred and eighty-five thousand Assyrians who came against Israel (2 Kings 19:35), how safe God’s elect must be, who are protected by the angels of God, kept by the power of God, and secure in the hands of our omnipotent Savior! Only in eternity will the heirs of salvation begin to discover what we owe to the perpetual ministry of these ministering spirits! Well may the heirs of salvation rejoice with such heavenly protectors surrounding them and ministering to them with unceasing joy.
Don Fortner