Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - ANGELS

ANGELS

Do you believe in angels?

In 2002, a car accident on Christmas Eve resulted in a vehicle plunging over a cliff near Joggins, N.S., and landing on a beach about 100 feet below. The woman driving the car was killed, but her 3 year old son was apparently not hurt; just wet and cold after having spent the night on the beach in freezing temperatures and wet weather. He seemed unafraid and said he had been kept company all night by two girls dressed in white in the water.

Do you believe in angels?

If one believes the Bible to be true, then belief in angels must follow for angels appear more than 90 times in and throughout the Scriptures. They apparently perform many roles as messengers of God “…who excel in strength [and]…who do His pleasure.” (Psalm 103:20-21)

When Paul was shipwrecked in a storm, an angel brought a message of comfort:

 

For there stood by me…an angel of the [Lord]…saying ‘Do not be afraid’… 

(Acts 27:23-24)

When Abraham’s nephew, Lot, took lodging in Sodom, two angels, dressed as men, were sent for protection and helped get Lot, his wife, and daughters away from a crowd and from the city before it’s destruction as recorded in Genesis 19:1-26

When Philip was preaching in Samaria, an angel came and gave him direction to go to the road from Jerusalem to Gaza. There he met the Ethiopian eunuch and led him to Christ. (Acts 8:26-40)

After Elijah had his confrontation with the prophets of Baal and was subsequently threatened by Queen Jezebel, he fled and became exhausted. As he lay and slept, an angel brought him provisions on two occasions saying:

“…Arise and eat…Arise and eat for the journey is too great…" 

(1 Kings 19:5,7)

After the apostles had preached in Jerusalem following Pentecost, they were imprisoned by the Jewish authorities. An angel came and delivered them from prison:

But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out… 

(Acts 5:19)

In a similar way, an angel brought deliverance to Peter when he was in prison. (Acts 12:6-10)

Angels can also be messengers of judgement as Herod Agrippa found out in Acts chapter 12. He claimed glory for himself instead of giving it to God.

So on a set day Herod…sat upon his throne and gave an oration to them. 

And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man.” 

Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, 

because he did not give glory to God… 

(Acts 12:21-23)

Angels also, at times, are messengers of revelation.

…the angel Gabriel was sent by God…to a virgin…(whose) name was Mary. 

“…[B]lessed are you among women…for you have found favour with God.”

(Luke 1:26-28,30)

And again, when Gabriel appeared to Zacharias to announce that he would be the father of the forerunner of the Messiah in Luke 1:1-20. And again when angels announced the birth of Christ as recorded in Luke 2:8-14.

Angels can also give messages of warning as happened when Herod became intent on killing Jesus after His birth. An angel warned Joseph to flee to Egypt.

“Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, 

and stay there until I bring you word; 

for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.” 

(Matthew 2:13)

And finally, angels can be spirits of ministry.*

Are they not all ministering spirits sent 

forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation? 

(Hebrews 1:14)

So angels can be and do many things and in addition, the Bible tells us:

…[N]ot [to] forget to entertain strangers, 

for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. 

(Hebrews 13:2)

So do you believe in angels? With all they can apparently do, it is certainly something to think about.

*Adapted from Turning Points Magazine November 2023 by Dr. David Jeremiah