By Pastor Larry Frazier
Important responsibilities must be delegated to those that are the most competent. Since humans have a history of falling short, God knew that the good angels could always be trusted to correctly and honestly do His bidding. God entrusted the announcement of His Son’s coming, the physical care of His Son, and ultimately the care of His Son’s Church only to the most trustworthy beings—the angels. Angels are commemorated during the church season of Advent leading up to Christmas. At that time the Angel’s Candle is lit on the wreath. It symbolizes peace and reminds us of the angel’s message: “Peace on earth, goodwill toward men.”
So what do the Scriptures say about these angels?
- They are created beings—not divine. Psalm 148:2&5: “Praise him, all his angels, all his heavenly hosts… Let them praise the name of the Lord for he commanded and they were created.” Colossians 1:16: “For by him [Jesus] all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible.” Angels are the invisible ones mentioned and God allows them to have bodies when the need arises. In heaven, we will be like the angels only in that there are no marriages.
- Nowhere in scripture do humans have control over angels or give them commands. Angels do God’s bidding and praise Him. Psalm 91:11: “For he will command his angels concerning YOU to guard YOU in all your ways.” Psalm 103:20-21: “Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will.”
- Angels serve as God’s agents of divine punishment. Acts 12:23: “Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down…and he died.” In Genesis 18 and 19, two angels came to Abraham with the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ. The angels went on to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.
- Angels serve as God’s agents of divine protection. In Daniel 6:22, an angel kept the lions from harming Daniel.
- God has created many angels. Revelation 5:11: “Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels numbering thousands upon thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand.”
- Because of our sins, angels keep us from reentering the Garden of Eden on our own. Genesis 3:24: “After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flashing sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.”
- Angels foretell God’s special events. In Judges 13:3, an angel appeared to the childless wife of Manoah announcing that Samson would be born.
In the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, we are told that angels had to ensure that Joseph and Mary, Jesus’ earthly parents, were in the right frame of mind concerning Jesus’ birth. The Gospels also tell us that angels attended every aspect of Jesus’ life from His birth, through His temptations, and into His death and resurrection. God loves the world so much that He sent Jesus to save us and in the words of Hebrews 13:1-2, He reminds us, “Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing, some people have entertained angels without knowing it.”
