Angels, 27of27

~ Angels Summary ~ 

Overview  ~  Holy angels and fallen angels are all around us.  Angels are more persuasive than most realize.  Holy angels are God’s servants.  Fallen angels are tools in the hands of Satan.  But victory is available to us: “His servant said to him, ‘Alas, my master!  What shall we do?’  So he answered, ‘Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them’” (2 Kings 6:15b-16).  

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?  When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell.  Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident” (Psalm 27:1-3).

Angels in Scripture  ~  Angels are mentioned about 275 times in the Bible of which more than 50 references are to “the angel of the Lord” (all in the Old Testament).  Angels appear at the beginning of both the Old and New Testament as well as at the end of The Bible.

Angels in the Old Testament  ~  The historical account of creation is in the first chapter of the Old Testament: “God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good” (Genesis 1:31).  We know from other portions of Scripture angels were created by God—therefore angels are a part of “everything that He had made” (Colossians 1:16). 

Angels are specifically referred to in the next verse:  “Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished” (Genesis 2:1).  

Then in the third chapter we find that angels were assigned to guard the gates of the Garden of Eden after Adam’s sin and the fall of mankind: “So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life” (Genesis 3:24).  We continue to find angels throughout the Old Testament. 

Angels in the New Testament  ~  Angels appear in the first chapter of the New Testament—in relation to the birth of Jesus Christ—The Messiah.  “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.  Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.  But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.  And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins’” (Matthew 1:18-21).

Angels appear at the end of the Bible in the very last chapter: “Now I, John, saw and heard these things.  And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things” (Revelation 22:8).

Closing Thought  ~  Which of the monarchs of the earth can boast a guard like ours, encircled from our second birth with all the heavenly powers?  Myriads of bright, cherubic bands, sent by the King of kings, rejoice to bear us in their hands and shade us with their wings.  – Charles Wesley

Closing Scripture  ~  “The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them” (Psalm 34:7).  “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14). 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

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