BY PASTOR T. O. BANSO
The words “angel” and “angels” are mentioned many times in the Bible. The English word “angel” is derived from the Greek word “angelos”, which means “messenger”, and is used throughout the New Testament. The Hebrew equivalent, used in the Old Testament, is “mal’akh”, which also means messenger.
According to Easton’s Bible Dictionary, “angel”, in the Bible, is used of an ordinary messenger (Job 1:14; 1 Samuel 11:3; Luke 7:24; 9:52), prophets (Isaiah 42:19; Haggai 1:13), priests (Malachi 2:7), and ministers of the New Testament (Revelation 1:20). This dictionary also notes that the distinctive application of the word “angel” is to certain heavenly intelligences whom God employs in carrying on his government of the world.
God has many angels. The Bible refers to “innumerable company of angels” or “thousands upon thousands of angels” (Hebrews 12:22). There are different types of angels with diverse roles, including delivering messages to human beings, carrying out God’s will, and praising Him. For example, Cherubim and seraphim are associated with God’s presence and worship (Isaiah 6:2-3; Ezekiel 10:1-22).
Angelic appearances are real
The Bible records angelic appearances to Abraham (Genesis 18:1-22), Lot (Genesis 19:1-21), Jacob (Genesis 28:10-17; 32:24-30), Manoah and his wife (Judges 13), Joshua (Joshua 5:13-15), Zechariah (Luke 1:10-20), Mary and Joseph (Luke 1:26-38; Matthew 1:20-25), etc.
In this Church Age, believers have shared testimonies of angelic appearances, not only in dreams and visions but in real life. Most times, it was only after such experiences that they realised that angels had ministered to them. This was because they appeared like human beings, not as fearsome creatures with wings! However, the Bible records some angels’ appearances that were accompanied by unusual events. Angelic ministry is real. However, the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, angels, or spirits (Acts 23:8). As Hebrews 13:2 says, don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, because by doing this, some have entertained angels without knowing it.
Human beings cannot command angels
Many people have misconceptions about the angelic ministry to human beings, especially believers. Some people promote the ministry of angels above that of the Holy Spirit. They pray to angels. There is no such example in the Bible or command to do so. Angels cannot answer anybody’s prayer. Some people command angels or dispatch angels. There is no such example in the Bible, nor is there any scriptural support for it. Angels are God’s servants, not humans’ servants. They take orders from God and obey Him, not human beings. Psalm 103:20 says, “Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word” (NIV).
During His earthly ministry, Jesus, although He was God, didn’t command angels. He only said He would ask His Father to send angels, and He would at once put at His disposal more than twelve legions of angels (Matthew 26:53). No angelic intervention in the Bible happened because the beneficiaries commanded or dispatched angels. Psalm 91:11-12, which the devil quoted while tempting Jesus, does not give human beings the power to command angels. It is God who will command angels. “For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone” (Psalm 91:11-12 NKJV).
We must adhere to the Bible and follow the examples of Jesus and the apostles. Anything different from this is an error. You cannot send angels on errands; they only run errands for God. But you can pray to God to send His angels to minister to you in whatever area you need help. God decides whether to send them or not.
Beware of Satan and his angels
As much as angelic ministry is real, we must not promote it above that of the Holy Spirit. We must not be obsessed with angels or join people who call all manner of angels whose names are not even mentioned in the Bible. We must not depend on information about angels from extra-biblical sources. Be careful.
The Bible often uses the term “the angel of the Lord.” That shows that there are angels who are not His. Yes, there are fallen angels (Jude 1:6). Some people have in the past received divine communication from angels they thought that God sent, but discovered later that Satan had deceived them. Not every divine communication by supposed angels is from God, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14).
Don’t worship angels
Don’t worship angels, as some ignorantly do. The Bible forbids worshipping angels. “Don’t be cheated by people who make a show of acting humble and who worship angels” (Colossians 2:18a NIV). No true angel of the Lord will accept human worship. In Revelation 22:8-9, the angel told John not to worship him but to worship only God because he was God’s servant, just like John and other prophets.
Believers must not seek to replace the Holy Spirit with the angels. Whereas the angels are created beings, the Holy Spirit is God, the Creator, being part of the Trinity. He is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. The Holy Spirit dwells in believers, transforming them inwardly, teaching them, reminding them of things, and leading them. His ministry is both internal and external, but the ministry of angels is external; angels don’t live inside believers. The angels are ministering spirits sent to minister to or serve believers. “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14 NKJV).
The roles of angels
1. Angels worship God. The Bible records how the angels, other heavenly beings, and every creature in heaven, on the earth, under the earth, and in the sea worshipped God (Revelation 5:11-14; Revelation 7:11-12). Isaiah 6:2-3 also records how the seraphim, a class of angels, worshipped God, crying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” (NKJV). Angels worship God. Psalm 148:2 says, “Praise Him, all His angels; praise Him, all His hosts!” (NKJV).
2. Angels deliver God’s messages to human beings. In Luke 1:5-25, the angel of the Lord, Gabriel, appeared to Zacharias in the Temple to announce John’s birth. Zacharias didn’t pray for the angels’ appearance or command it. He was serving as a priest before God in the order of his division when an angel of the LORD appeared suddenly. The angel Gabriel also appears to Daniel to explain visions and provide understanding regarding future events, including the coming of the Messiah (Daniel 8:16-27; 9:20-27; 10:18-21).
Similarly, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to announce to her the birth of Jesus through her. She didn’t pray for an angel (Luke 1:26-27). The Bible also records other instances of angelic appearances, mostly in dreams or visions, to deliver specific messages to people, including the prophet Zechariah (Zechariah 1:8-17; 4:1-6; 5:5-11; 6:1-8), Joseph, the husband of Mary, (Matthew 1:18-24; 2:13, 19-20), the shepherds who were keeping watch over their flock when Jesus was born (Luke 2:8-14); Philip (Acts 8:26), Cornelius (Acts 10:3-8), and the apostle John (Revelation 1:1, 10:1-11; 17:1-18; 21:9-10; 22:6-10).
In all the cases, the appearances of the angels and the messages they delivered were at God’s command. God can send angels to deliver messages, even today, if there is a need for it, and people may not immediately recognise them as angels but as ordinary humans.
3. Angels protect and deliver God’s people. People often talk about “guardian angels”, but this phrase is not in the Bible, although God sends His angels to guard or protect His children. God told the Israelites in Exodus 23:20, “I am sending an angel ahead of you, who will protect you as you travel. He will lead you to the place I have prepared” (NCV).
In protecting King Hezekiah and the people of Judah, God sent an angel to the Assyrian camp who killed 185,000 soldiers, leaders, and officers (2 Kings 19:35; 2 Chronicles 32:21; Isaiah 37:36). The horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha in 2 Kings 6:17 depict angelic protection, which aligns with the promise of angelic protection in Psalm 91:11-12. Psalm 34:7 says that the angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and He delivers them.
In Daniel 6:22, Daniel, who was thrown into the lions’ den, said God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they did not hurt him. Daniel enjoyed angelic protection and deliverance.
In the New Testament, an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and led the apostles out (Acts 5:19-20). Also, God sent an angel to deliver Peter from prison, as the church prayed earnestly for him (Acts 12:5-17). Peter’s release by the angel initially seemed like a vision to him (verse 9).
God still sends angels to protect and deliver today. However, nobody can command angels to do this. We can only pray to God for protection and deliverance or plead with Him to send His angels to protect or deliver us.
4. Angels encourage, comfort, and strengthen believers. In Genesis 16:7-12, an angel of the LORD encouraged and comforted Hagar, who was fleeing from her mistress. The angel told her to return to her mistress and submit to her, and he would multiply her descendants exceedingly. He also told her that she was pregnant and revealed to her the future of the child. After listening to the angel, Hagar called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees”, for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?” (Verse 13).
Paul enjoyed the encouragement and comfort of an angel during his perilous voyage to Rome. The angel told him not to be afraid and assured him that he must be brought before Caesar. He added that God had granted him everyone who sailed with him (Acts 27:21-26). Consequently, the lives of Paul and all the 275 people on the ship were saved.
When Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, while in deep distress before His arrest, an angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened him (Luke 22:41-43). If a child of God needs strengthening by an angel, God will send one to do this.
5. Angels lead or guide God’s children. The Israelites enjoyed angelic leading. Angels can lead or guide people if God commands them to do so. In Exodus 14:19a, the Bible says, “Then the angel of God, who had been leading the people of Israel, moved to the rear of the camp” (NLT).
Also, in Exodus 32:34a, God asked Moses to lead the Israelites to the place He had told him about, saying, “Look! My angel will lead the way before you” (NLT). God uses angels to lead or guide His children.
6. Angels assist God’s children. God can also use angels to assist His children. The women who were going to Jesus’ tomb to anoint His body were worried about who would help them roll away the stone at the entrance of the tomb (Mark 16:3). However, when they arrived, they found that the stone had been rolled away. An angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it (Luke 24:1-2; Matthew 28:2). That was angelic assistance.
7. Angels fight evil forces. Revelation 12:7 says that there was war in heaven, and Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. Satan lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. God’s angels fight evil forces. The angels who sinned are currently in hell, in gloomy pits of darkness, where they are being held until the day of judgment (2 Peter 2:4). Christians will one day judge angels, i.e., the fallen angels (1 Corinthians 6:3).
In Daniel 10, Michael, an archangel, came to help the angel, who had been hindered for 21 days by the “prince of the kingdom of Persia” from delivering a message to Daniel in answer to his prayer (verses 10-14). This was a conflict between God’s angel and Satan, and Satan lost. God can send His angels to fight battles for His children, and He cannot lose any battles.
8. Angels will execute the final judgment. Christ is the ultimate judge, but He will send out His angels to gather all nations and separate the sinners from the saints (Matthew 13:41-42; 25:31-32). Also in Revelation 20,an angel comes down from heaven, binding Satan with a chain, casting him into the bottomless pit, and sealing it over him for 1,000 years to prevent him from deceiving the nations (verses 1-3).
Conclusion. Believers must avoid misconceptions about angelic ministry. God may not always send visible angels, but He will meet His children’s needs by whatever means He considers proper.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you must give your heart to Jesus now. Please take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself, and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your heart. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church. There, they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me, and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I invite Jesus into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You must join a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
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