The Ministration of Good Angels

God’s Family

Of what family does Paul speak in Ephesians?

“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth derives its name.” Ephesians 3:14,15.

By what name are the members of this family called?

“One day the angels [or sons of God] came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them.” Job 1:6. “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” 1 John 3:1.

By what name do we know the family in heaven?

“Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the thrown and the living creatures and the elders. Revelation 5:11.

Did angels exist before the death of any of the human family?

“After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.”

Genesis 3:24.

Note – “The morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy” at the foundation of the earth. (Job 38:6,7.)

What does Paul say of their number?

“But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly.”

 Hebrews 12:22.  (See also Daniel 7:10.) [Innumerable company of angels]

Are angels a higher order of beings than man?

“You have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings.” Psalm 8:5. [Angels]

Is Christ ever called an angel?

“See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared.” Exodus 23:20.  (See verse 23; Acts 7:38.) “In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.” Isaiah 63:9.  “Michael the archangel.” Jude 9. (See also Daniel 12:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:16.) 

Note - Angel means messenger. In Malachi 3:1, Christ is called ‘the messenger of the covenant.”

To whose authority is the angels subject?

“And this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also – not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand – with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.” 1 Peter 3:21,22. 

In what form did Gabriel appear to Daniel?

“His body was like chrysolite, his face like lightening, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.” Daniel 10:6.

Note – The form in which other celestial beings revealed themselves in vision is similar. See, for example, the description of God, the “Ancient of days,” in Daniel 7:9; and of Christ, “the Son of man,” in Revelation 1:13-15. The angel that rolled away the stone from Christ’s sepulcher is precisely described: “His countenance was like lightening, and his raiment white as snow.” Matthew 28:3.

Why does Paul encourage us to entertain strangers?

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” Hebrews 13:2. 

Character, Power, and Work of Angels

What is said of the strength and character of the angels?

“Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.” Psalm 103:20. 

In what work are the angels engaged?

“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”

Hebrews 1:14.

In his dream at Bethel, what did Jacob see?

“He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and angels of God were ascending and descending on it.” Genesis 28:12.

What scripture indicates that each child of God has an accompanying angel?

“See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.” Matthew 18:10.  

Note – Another has said: “Christians who live in the light of God’s countenance are always accompanied by unseen angels, and these holy beings leave behind them a blessing in our homes.

How is their watch care over God’s people expressed?

“The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.”

Psalm 34:7.

When surrounded by the Syrians, what did Elisha do?

“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.” Then the Lord opened his eyes, and he saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all about Elisha.”

2 Kings 6:16,17.

What does the psalmist say of the chariots of God?

“The chariots of God are ten of thousands and thousands of thousands; the Lord has come, from Sinai into his sanctuary.” 

By what means were the apostles delivered from prison?  

“But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out.” Acts 5:19. 

How was Peter delivered later?

“Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.” Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals,” And Peter did so. “Wrap your clock around you and follow me,” the angel told him. Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gates leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.” Acts 12:7-10.

Note – “What we call physical law is no obstruction to angelic ministrations. Bolts and bars and prison gates disappear at their volition, and dungeons like palaces shine in their presence. No place can be dismal, no cavern so deep and dark, no inquisition cell so hidden and fetid, no fortress so strongly guarded, that they cannot find quick and easy access, if a child of God is there.” E.A. Stockman, Footprints of Angels in Fields of Revelation, pp. 74, 75.

How was Elijah strengthened for a forty days’ journey?

“The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. There he went into a cave and spent the night.” 1 Kings 19: 7,8. 

After His forty days’ temptation, how was Christ strengthened?

“Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.” Matthew 4:11.

How was Christ strengthened in Gethsemane?

“An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.” Luke 22:43. [Gabriel]

Are the angels interested in the plan of salvation?

“Even angels long to look into these things.” 1 Peter 1:12. “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Luke 15:10.

For what must men give account in the judgment?

“But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.” Matthew 12:36.  (See also Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14.)

Out of what will men be judged before God’s throne?  

“And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and the books were opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.” Revelation 20:12.

In the judgment how many angels minister before God?

“Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousands stood before him.” Daniel 7:10. [These angels stand before God Almighty]

What does Christ promise over comers?

“He that over comes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.” Revelation 3:5.  

What protection has God promised His people in the Great Tribulation?

“Then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” Psalm 91:10-12.

Who will come with Christ, and what will they do?

“For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.” “And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” Matthew 16:27; 24:31.

Where will all the saints then go?

“After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”

1 Thessalonians 4:17.  [God’s eternal kingdom]

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