0679. The Ministration of Angels
The Ministration of Angels
I. Israel has a Protecting Angel
"At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince that standeth for the children of Thy people" (Dan_12:1).
There can be no doubt that Michael has a special relationship in the purposes of God, toward the children of Israel.
It was Michael who was sent from Heaven on a mission concerning the body of Moses. An angel was sent down to carry a special revelation from the throne of God to Daniel, the praying Prophet, and when he reached Daniel he touched him and among other things he said to him: "Fear not, Daniel * * thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words, but the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me." These words are found in Dan_10:12, Dan_10:13.
Then, the angel continued as recorded in Dan_10:20-21, "When I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come. But I will shew thee that which is noted in the Scripture of Truth: and there is none who holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince."
Every word will bear weighing, but we only stop to emphasize this–"Michael your prince." Among the chief of the angelic hosts was Michael, and he was Israel’s prince. He had them specially under his care. Surely Michael is still standing for the special people of the Lord. How glorious to think of both Michael and the other angel in Daniel’s vision, being acquainted with the Scripture of Truth, in its special revelations concerning Israel’s future and glorious destiny.
II. Saints Have Ministering Angels
"For there stood by me this night, the Angel of God, Whose I am, and Whom I serve, saying, Fear not, Paul: thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee" (Act_27:23-24).
Let no one think for a moment that this gracious experience of Paul’s is foreign to saints today. We may not hear the voice of the angels, but we may enjoy their ministrations.
Read 1Ki_19:5 : "And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree behold, then an angel touched him and said unto him, Arise and eat. And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baked on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And the angel of the Lord came a second time and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee!"
How precious is this scene of the angel’s care of Elijah. How precious in the sight of the Lord is the succoring of His saints.
Elisha, too, the successor of Elijah was protected by the angels. The King of Syria had sent a company of men down to take the Prophet captive. Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, was very much alarmed as he saw the men surrounding their very dwelling. Then the Prophet prayed and said: "Lord, I pray Thee, open his eyes, that he may see." "And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha" (2Ki_6:17). We do not see the angels, but they certainly encamp round about us, and deliver us.
When Daniel was cast in the den of lions, it was an angel whom God sent to shut the lions’ mouths (Dan_6:22); when Peter was in prison, it was an angel of the Lord, who came by night and opened the prison doors and led him forth (Act_5:19); once again Peter was in prison and, "behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly * * Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals," etc.
Surely God’s angels are ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to them who are heirs of salvation.
III. Children Have Guardian Angels
"Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in Heaven their angels do always behold the face of My Father which is in Heaven" (Mat_18:10).
This passage cannot mean that little children who die have become angels and are in Heaven before the Father. Neither children nor saints are angels in Heaven. The old song, "I want to be an angel, and with the angels stand," is not Scriptural, for the saints will judge angels.
A better interpretation would accept the fact that the children have their own angels. When Rhoda told the praying saints that Peter was at the door, they were so sure that Peter was in jail and that Rhoda was deceived, that they said: "It is his angel." The saints then thought that Peter had a special angel, and if he did, may not children have special guardian angels?
We have often seen pictures of the child asleep, and the "protecting angel" hovering over his bed. And, this may have more truth than poetry in it, after all. Why not believe that angels do minister to our little ones, in many a helpful way?
IV. Angels Rejoice in Our Salvation
"I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth" (Luk_15:10).
"Nor angels can their joy contain,
But kindle with new fire,
A soul on earth is born, they say,
And strike their golden lyre."
What a blessed word is Luk_15:10. A word from our Lord, Himself. Christ bears witness to the fact that angels rejoice when the sinner is saved. And why should they not rejoice? They hold the glory of God as supreme, and they are deeply interested in the deeds of men, as they reflect the glory of God.
The angels know of the strategy of satan, they know how the devil is going about seeking whom he may devour, they know something, at least, of the woes that await the damned–no wonder they rejoice when the wanderer returns.
Salvation is a great joy in Heaven,–a greater joy, than on earth. And why? Simply because those in Heaven know far more of the joys of the redeemed in the glory above, they grasp the fullness of the inheritance of the saints. God has given to us glimpses of the glories of His grace that await us over there, but the angels are already there, they know, and so they shout for joy when a new-born soul has his name enrolled in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
V. Angels Observe the Saints
"For I think that God hath set forth us the Apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men" (1Co_4:9).
Who can doubt, with all that has gone before, concerning the ministration of angels, but that they are vitally concerned with our welfare? And who can doubt that they are intently watching us, as we move here and there in the daily routine of life?
Angels hold the glory of their Lord as exceedingly precious, and certainly nothing so makes to His glory, as the faithful walk and works of His children on earth.
Angels are desirous that we should always honor Him; they are grieved if we shame His cause.
Frequently we are asked if we believe in any of the exploits of spiritists. Is there anything in them? Is there any real connection with the other world, or is all they claim merely the illusions of disordered minds?
We are not slow to respond. Yes, we believe that there is something in spiritism; we believe the devil is in it. Certainly there are bad angels, angels under satan’s dominion, and these are about us in the air. They can impersonate the departed, and they are so familiar with the details of individual life that they can deceive the spiritualistic devotee.
And, if evil spirits are cognizant of the deeds of the living, and are able to impersonate the dead, all under the curse of God; surely the angels of God, in God’s will and plan, can and do observe and minister unto God’s children.
VI. Angels Receive Us at Death
"And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom" (Luk_16:22).
For our part, we accept this statement literally. There are some who speak of death as the second coming of Christ–imagining that at death the Lord comes and carries us Home. This is impossible. For when the Lord comes, the dead in Christ are raised, and they are caught up to meet the Lord in the air.
Death is an "enemy," Christ’s coming is the "blessed hope." When Christ said of John, "If I will that he tarry until I come," then the saying went abroad among the disciples that John "would never die." We are taught to hasten the coming of Christ, to love it, to pray for it, and to patiently wait for it, but we must not pray to death, saying, "Come death, come quickly."
In death we go to be with Christ, which is far better; in the second advent, Christ comes to meet us in the air, and the living are caught up without dying.
"Oh joy! oh, delight! should we go without dying,
No sickness, no sadness, no dread, and no crying;
Caught up through the clouds, with our Lord into Glory,
When Jesus receives His own."
But it need not seem strange, if the angels who have ministered to us all our days, should escort us into the Glory when we die. There is much we cannot know, but we can rest assured that angels have some precious ministry in connection with the departure of saints.
Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR