Around this time of year, my thoughts always focus for a while on angels. Contemplating these amazing heavenly beings, I wonder why our culture only pays attention to angels during the Christmas season.
Long before the birth of Jesus, angels appear in Old Testament accounts, doing God’s bidding. Abraham was in awe in Genesis 22, as was Moses in Exodus 3 when the “angel of the Lord” referred to himself as God in the first person, and they conversed together. Joshua encountered a commander of the “army of the Lord.” Hagar was comforted by an angel, who delivered God’s promise that her son Ishmael would father a countless multitude. Righteous Lot was saved from the destruction of Sodom by angels. Isaac was delivered from the hand of his father Abraham when an angel stayed his hand and a substitute sacrifice was provided. Angels named and unnamed are there in the stories of priests, prophets, and common folks alike. Even a poor, abused little donkey clearly saw an angel of the Lord, and was given a human voice to talk sense to his master, Balaam (Numbers 22)! Accounts of angelic interventions, messages, ministrations, and comfort populate our daily readings through the Scriptures.
Job 38:4, 7 and Genesis 1 and 2 teach us that angels, present at the creation, are created beings, made by God before human history began. So let’s just get this Scriptural truth out of the way now: when we die, Christians don’t become angels once we get to heaven. Angels are not recycled human beings! Although they occasionally take human form to facilitate their interactions with humans, angels are by nature spiritual beings created to be servants of God. Their awesome powers and ability to perform supernatural feats at God’s bidding have tempted some people to worship them. But the Bible emphasizes that angels are not to be worshipped. Though they’re very different in nature than we humans, they are created by God and subordinate to Him. Paul specifically stresses the supremacy of Jesus over the angels, and the first chapter of Hebrews stresses that Jesus alone is to be worshipped. As to their relationship to God’s people, Hebrews 1:14 states, “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”
The Christmas story is indeed filled with wonderful accounts of angelic activity. The archangel Gabriel visited Zechariah with news that his elderly wife Elizabeth would bear a son, John, to be a forerunner preparing people to meet the Lord. Gabriel visited Mary to announce her role in bringing forth Jesus, Son of the Most High. Countless angels announced Jesus’ birth to shepherds in the fields outside Bethlehem, filling the night skies with heavenly light and joyful songs of praise. Angels appeared three times to Joseph, urging him to marry Mary, later warning him to flee with his family to Egypt, and still later advising him to return the family to Israel when it was safe.
Ministering angels accompanied Jesus into the wilderness of temptations after His baptism to encourage Him. On His journey to the cross, they strengthened Him for His horrific task with its pain and agony. And remember the many instances of angelic activity through the trying days of the newly birthed church? Paul was encouraged through a shipwreck and assured by an angel that he would complete his mission to appear before Caesar. Peter and other early Christians were assured of the presence and power of God through angelic interventions, opening prison doors, breaking chains and iron gates. Philip was waylaid by an Ethiopian official, revealed the truth of scriptures to him, and was transported by an angel to another place. Even a Roman soldier, Cornelius, had an angelic intervention, describing “a man in dazzling clothes,” thereby signaling God’s message to preach the Gospel to all people.
Perhaps it’s a good time of year, months away from the frenzied Christmas season, to celebrate the inspiration, comfort and protection of God’s ministering angels as we encounter them in our devotions and daily lives. Take a moment to appreciate the wonder that angels are still among God’s people, doing His bidding as He guides each of us day by day.
Matthew 18:10: "See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven."
Hebrews 13:2: "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."