ANGELS

04/28/2024

"Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels" (Hebrews 13:2).

Concerning angels, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. The Bible reveals to us that angels operate among us and very often, do so without announcing their operation to us. In other words, they are very covert. 

One way to illustrate the angelic ministry is to describe it as the civil service of the Kingdom of God with different ministries and departments. Some are assigned to you as guardians to keep you from harm, translators to help people understand your message, and messengers to deliver messages to and from God. Hebrews 1:14 says, "Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?" As long as you are a child of God, you have angels assigned to you. 

However, there are more specialized angels that work with specific ministries like the healing corps, a group of angels that work with healing and hospital ministries to restore people to health. An instance of this class of angels is captured in the Bible which revealed the Pool at Bethesda to be a location for such operations. "For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had" (John 5:4).

There are revelatory angels that help you decode hard scriptures and sayings, as well as announce new dispensations, of which we know the angel named Gabriel is a chief angel. Luke 1:19 says, "And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings." John the Apostle worked with revelatory angels to write the Book of Revelations at Patmos. Revelations 19:9 says, "Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.” A subdivision of these angels also operates in dreams and it is important to recognize when you have been visited by an angel in a dream because such dreams are not vague but give you specific information in real time. Matthew 2:19 says, "Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt".

Lastly, but not exhaustively, warrior angels. These angels are war-making beings. 2 Kings 6:17 says, "And Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha."

A common feature of all angels is that they praise and worship God. When we gather and begin to praise and worship the Lord these beings praise and worship alongside us, irrespective of their specific function. "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:13-14). The heavenly host is not the angelic host but includes the angelic host. The Bible tells us that we have come to be part of the heavenly host which includes the angelic host in Hebrews 12:22-23 which says, "...you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect..."

While we do not and must never worship angels, I have shared this today because your awareness of angels is an added benefit to experiencing their ministry and collaboration when and if the need arises. 

God bless you.

Faith-Filled Confession

Right now where I am, I worship you Oh Lord with the angels. Glory to you Lord and peace on earth to humanity. I declare my thanks for the angels that you have assigned to me for my preservation and the ministry you have assigned to me and understand that from time to time, the opportunity is granted to me to entertain angels even though I may not always be aware. Blessed be your name, Jesus, forever and ever. Amen

One-Year Bible Reading Plan: 2 Samuel 21-22; Luke 22:1-30