One of the more dramatic ways in which God deals with His believers, and His creation in general, is through the ministration of angels.
The record in Scripture of their appearance in the past leaves us in no doubt that, through their agency, visible so often as it was, God superimposed His will upon the affairs of men in general and the thinking of chosen persons in particular.
Likewise, many Bible passages assure us of their vital role at the return of Jesus for the establishment of the kingdom. The performance of their duties on behalf of Jesus, together with their praise and worship of him, will be manifest for all to see.
It is not so easy to discern today, in times when the open vision has been withdrawn, the continuing work of angels that is performed unseen around us, yet an appreciation of the abiding principles of angelic ministry throughout the Bible, and a quick look at Revelation in particular, will assure us of the continuity of the work of angels down to and beyond our own day.
If this be true, how, in practical terms, do we perceive angels working in our world, and with us as believers, say in this very week? It is one thing to assent intellectually, in a detached fashion, to a doctrinal principle — it is quite another to be able to make use of it in our lives, to have that confidence, assurance, faith that knows, nay, utter conviction that God is close by; more than that, knows how God is close by.
Such assurance brings a comfort and inner peace that is so hard to find these days. So that we may more readily perceive the “innumerable company of angels” that, unseen, works all round us, and for us, and with us, this summary of a much more comprehensive study must suffice.
Although the duties of angels, in directing the course of events on the earth in accord with God’s developing purpose, has been continuous, we are only given glimpses of angels at work. These glimpses are like patches of sunshine on a cloudy day.
We see angels talking with Abraham, going before Israel, obstructing Balaam, encouraging Gideon, instructing Manoah, destroying Jerusalem, slaying the Assyrian army, shutting lions’ mouths, preparing for the birth of Jesus, releasing Peter and involved in perhaps another 30 instances. It is not until we come to Revelation, which alone contains 79 references to angels, that we are given a continuous conception of the ceaseless activity of angels in the affairs of men.
Anyone who accepts the traditional interpretation of Revelation as a continuous historical vision from John’s time through our own, cannot fail to appreciate the continuous activity of angels in the last 19 centuries of history, as they arrange historical circumstances symbolised by “flying through heaven”, sounding trumpets and pouring out vials. Here we see 1900 years of human endeavour, closely monitored, reacted to and redirected by angels according to God’s purpose. There is probably a no more intensely busy period than our own times today.
The overwhelming proportion of mankind has no idea of the over-riding superintendence of this world’s affairs by angelic ministrations — just the few who comprehend “that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever He will”.
I wonder if we equally comprehend that angels still arrange affairs in the believer’s personal life as well.
Having the comprehensive view of Revelation as a guide, we can then see that, not only in the 30 or so instances in the Old Testament are angels involved, but the whole course of Israel, Cyrus, the Babylonians, the Assyrians, the Egyptians and so on, were influenced by angels. “Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not: for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him. But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off.” (Exodus 23:20-23).
Even when the angelic presence is not mentioned or God says He will do something in practical terms, we may be assured that angels are God’s agency. Exodus 33:2 — “And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite… “
Translations
The Hebrew word “molok” occurs about 200 times translated almost equally ‘messenger’ as ‘angel’. Generally speaking, it would appear that the translators chose ‘angel’ for those occasions where the text makes it plain that supernatural beings are being referred to, but no distinction is made in the original language between human messengers and supernatural beings.
The Greek “aggelos”, however, almost exclusively describes supernatural beings. On 175 occasions, that is positively the case. Up to the end of Acts they are seen active as God’s agents; thereafter the nature of angels and their work is the subject of exposition, until the 79 specialised occurrences in Revelation. On four more occasions it is considered very likely that supernatural beings are referred to. In seven instances, mortal humans are ones sent for a specific divine purpose. John, the Baptist, accounts for three of these (Matt. 11: 10; Mark 1:2; Luke 7:27). John, himself, in prison, sends “aggelos” to enquire of Jesus (Luke 7:24). Jesus sends “aggelos” before him to Samaria to prepare his way (Luke 9:52). James describes the spies as “aggelos” when Rahab “received the messengers and had sent them out another way” (2:25).
Another five usages refers to angels of Satan, Michael, Devil or Dragon referring to unreal supernatural beings representing ethical forces which, by interpretation, apply to groups of men at various times. Thus, “aggelos” describes supernatural beings or mortal humans sent for a specific divine purpose.
In analysing the use of this word in the New Testament, these conclusions can now be applied to the last two remaining cases, “the angels that sinned” of 2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 6. They are either mortal humans originally sent on a divine mission or supernatural beings, in either case having become the subject of God’s displeasure.
The point of 1 Cor. 6:3, “Know ye not that we shall judge angels?”, is that we shall be elevated to above angelic status. Such supernatural beings not only do not equal the status of immortalised saints, but some have faults to be judged. It seems very likely then that “the angels that sinned” comes into this latter category. Job 4:18 strengthens the contention that some supernatural beings fall into condemnation.
Assumptions vs Facts
This brings us to consider some fundamental features about angels that are simply not revealed. We do not know where they came from originally, or how they may be the subject of God’s displeasure now. We do know that Jesus “was made a little lower than the angels” (Ps. 8:5; Heb. 2:7 & 9), but now “made so much better than the angels” (Heb. 1:4).
Immortalised saints shall judge angels (1 Cor. 6:3) adding weight to the concept of “angels that sinned” being more than mortally human though not equivalent to immortalised saints. These Bible FACTS are few, however, and conjecture outside established facts can be misleading, if not dangerous.
Archangel is used twice, 1 Thess. 4:16, where the return of Jesus is accompanied by the voice of an archangel, and Jude 9, referring to “Michael the archangel” who appears in Zechariah chapter 3 merely as “angel” unnamed, and in verse 2 is called “Lord”, no doubt representing the Lord.
Jude, referring to this incident, draws attention to the fact that even Michael, an archangel, dare not appropriate to himself the right to rebuke, but said, even when representing God, ‘The Lord rebuke thee”.
Further limitations of angels are revealed in Daniel chapter 10, where Michael appears again. The word “angel” does not appear in Daniel chs. 10-12 where Michael is described as “one of the chief princes” and is introduced into the narrative by “a certain man” who, by his appearance and activities, can justifiably be assumed to be an angel.
Note carefully what the angel tells Daniel in ch. 10:13. “But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days; but lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, CAME TO HELP ME… ” This is clear indication of limitation of power in angels who need the help of other angels and who strive on God’s behalf for lengthy periods.
The angel further reveals that the angelic struggle with Persia is to continue (v.20), “and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia (Cyrus, see v.1) and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Greece shall come” (thus confirming our interpretation of Daniel ch. 2).
How much more help did the angel need against Alexander the Great, we wonder? This is instructive, not only in revealing the agency through which God’s international purpose is achieved, but in demonstrating the amount of effort and lengths of time involved.
Do we doubt that God could, simply by willing something to be done, instantaneously have it performed? Certainly not! But God doesn’t work that way. Does God work in majestic isolation? No! He is pleased to perform His will on earth by employing His angelic host who sometimes find, when God has reason, that the task is difficult. See Isaiah ch. 45 for a clue why the angel of Daniel ch. 10 found the situation with Cyrus and Persia difficult to deal with.
The Book of Revelation is our Scriptural guarantee that this Divine method of dealing with nations is equally applicable today. We may be sure that the angel went before the World War I armies in Palestine to clear the land of Turks. What angelic effort went into Europe in World War II to drive the Jews back to the cleared land? How many days, weeks, years have the angels spent in contending with Israel’s neighbours since 1948? On how many occasions did the angels call for more angelic help in the Sinai desert against the Arab armies? How many times did they send Henry Kissenger shuttling on his way before the latest Mid-East ceasefire was arranged?
Can we see with our spiritual mind’s eye the busy schedule and the pressure of work that faces the angelic host all around us in this age of oil crisis, Arab resurgence as financial masters, Russian ascendancy and the 1,001 things that go to make up the confederacy that comes against Jerusalem?
The world is filled with the unseen angelic host contending against the princes of this world. Or are we like the young man at Elisha’s side who didn’t understand how God’s will was to he performed?
The Unseen Host
The city of Dothan was surrounded by the Syrian army, who had done so much specifically to capture Elisha who was inside. When Elisha’s servant found themselves trapped, he asked Elisha “How shall we do? And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; AND HE SAW: AND BEHOLD THE MOUNTAIN WAS FULL OF HORSES AND CHARIOTS OF FIRE AROUND ABOUT ELISHA” (2 Kings 6:16-17).
Psalm 68:17 tells us “The chariots of God are twenty thousand, thousands of angels”.
God can be thought of as arriving in that many places at once. Jesus said he could call on 12 legions of angels. Even in times when visible manifestations of God were not unknown, Elisha’s servant could not see the great angelic host on hand, immediately available to help, that Elisha knew was there.
In our times, when visible manifestations of God are unknown, it may be a little more diifficult to perceive the great angelic host that fills the mountains round us on hand, immediately available to help, but their invisibility doesn’t make them any less effective. Lord, open our eyes.
Paul enumerates the things believers are come unto — not “the mount that burned with fire nor unto blackness and darkness and tempest … but ye are come unto mount Zion and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, AND TO AN INNUMERABLE COMPANY OF ANGELS, to the general assembly and church of the first born which are written in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel” (Heb. 12:18-24). To the elements, that are at present the very fundamental foundation of life in Jesus, is added “an innumerable company of angels”.
Every one of us will testify to circumstances arranged at some time or other in our lives that have had a profound effect on our spiritual destiny. Does God work in isolated majesty? Certainly not – we may be sure the angels went before us to organise those arrangements.
Things are placed in our way that become temptation; opportunities are created to test our faith; situations arise from which we may learn; it is God working in our lives through His chosen agency, the heavenly host.
As is often the case, it is David in the Psalms that provides us with insights to the inner workings of God. He gives a timeless assurance for those who seek the abiding of God. “I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears… This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. THE ANGEL OF THE LORD ENCAMPETH ROUND ABOUT THEM THAT FEAR HIM AND DELIVERETH THEM”.
The word “encampeth” indicates on constant duty, never deserting, and borrows the idea of the guardian angel in the camp of Israel, already referred to, who was “to keep thee in THE WAY”. Isaiah 63:9 describes him as “the angel of His presence” and David assures us that, in this way, God’s presence encamps around believers. By the ministry of angels, then, God is actively in control of all the circumstances that surround the believer’s life.
Guardian Angels
The personal closeness of the angelic presence which is often described as “the guardian angel” is expanded by Jesus when, in Matt. 18:10, he warns against despising God’s children for “in heaven THEIR ANGELS do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven”. The link between God and His children is guarded by His (which are also their) angels. A strong indication that some conception of guardian angels was held by the first century ecclesia is in Acts 12:15, where the company found it difficult to believe that Peter actually stood outside. “It is HIS ANGEL”.
In the almost incredible vicissitudes of life before becoming king, David served a hard apprenticeship in learning how God works in men’s lives. “Plead my cause, 0 Lord, with them that strive with me… Let them be as chaff before the wind; and let the angel of the Lord chase them. Let their way be dark and slippery and let the angel of the Lord persecute them” (Ps. 35:1-6).
A full range of angelic activity, personal and national, to protect, guard, teach, destroy and persecute, is demonstrated in the Bible.
Of the many more details that could be expounded, perhaps this one should be expressed. A simplified analysis of the purposes of references to angels in Scripture reveal that, apart from 79 occurrences in Revelation and nine occasions where human characteristics are likened to angelic ones, there are 33 instances that describe the nature of angels and their work. Apart from five references in Psalms, these are all in the New Testament. Therefore, this is revealed only to David, then freely to the followers of Jesus.
In addition, on 109 occasions angels are noted actively engaged in directing the course of events, while in 57 instances they are seen on instructing and teaching missions. The 109 active angelic works are spread throughout the Bible, but the teaching and instructive work of angels ceases with the birth of Jesus.
There are only two exceptions, one where an angel counsels Paul just before his shipwreck and the other is very significant — the angel who delivered the Revelation to John on Patmos. There can be no doubt, from this analysis, that instruction and teaching now come to us revealed by Jesus and recorded for us in the Word of God.
It is fitting that the last act of angelic teaching should be the completion of the written record that makes that part of their work no longer necessary. But the continued ACTIVE DIRECTION OF EVENTS by angels through the New Testament makes it clear that the angelic role of active participation in earthly affairs, both personally and internationally, continues unbroken to the kingdom age. Thus the Ministry of the Word and the Ministry of Angels, together with the other ministries being discussed in this series, have distinct, separate and vital roles in God drawing nigh to a believer and a believer drawing nigh to God.
Is Pentecost Happening Today? (Part 7) – Tongues Shall Cease