Angels, God's Servants On Our Behalf

As  I said in my previous blog, the writer to the Hebrews concludes the first chapter with a sentence of comfort and encouragement about angels.

Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? - Hbr 1:14 ESV

In other words, their work is to serve us who are chosen to inherit salvation, the resurrection of the dead and the new heavens and earth.

I'm sure you realize that the word angel means simply messenger. So we read, for instance,

And Jacob sent messengers (mal'akim)  before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom, - Gen 32:3 ESV

Moses sent messengers (mal'akim) from Kadesh to the king of Edom: "Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the hardship that we have met: - Num 20:14 ESV 

Even the elements and storms are called God's messengers.

He makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire. - Psa 104:4 ESV

Before His incarnation, as I have frequently written, the LORD Jesus Himself appeared as the Angel of the LORD. There are many examples in the OT. All in all The angel of the LORD in the Bible occurs 56 times and the angel of God occurs 10 times. He appears to Abraham, Hagar, Isaac, Jacob, Manoah and his wife, Moses, Joshua and many others.

• But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." - Gen 22:11 ESV

• And the angel of the LORD appeared to him (Moses) in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. - Exd 3:2 ESV

• Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face. And the angel of the LORD said to him, "Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me. - Num 22:31-32 ESV

• And Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, "What is your name, so that, when your words come true, we may honor you?" - Jdg 13:17 ESV

• And that night the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies. - 2Ki 19:35 ESV

• The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. - Psa 34:7 ESV

• And the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies. - Isa 37:36 ESV

If you have questions about how it can be that the term the angel of the LORD could refer to Jesus, read my blog: JESUS—Angel of the LORD and God's Right Hand Man Is At Our Right Hand. I concluded that study with these words:

This Angel, this Messenger of the LORD is the same One who came among us in flesh and blood to endure our shame and deliver us from eternal death. Like the sacred bread set week by week before the LORD, Jesus is present to feed us with His own body and blood. Taste and see. The LORD is good, kind and rich. He will indeed deliver each one of us who trusts Him.

The ministering spirits the Hebrews writer speaks about however are not men sent as messengers, nor are they to be confused with Jesus, the Angel of the LORD. They are the heavenly host that praised God and announced the birth of Jesus.

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 among those with whom he is pleased!" - Luk 2:13-14 ESV

They are spirit beings of great power. Exactly what that means we do not know. They can and do appear in human form from time to time. As noted earlier, they appeared with the Angel of the LORD to visit with Abraham and again at Lot's door in Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:1-28). They number in the thousands upon thousands, as David wrote,

The chariots of God are twice ten thousand, thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them; Sinai is now in the sanctuary. - Psa 68:17 ESV

The significant fact for us, however, is not what or how many they are. The important truth is that they are ministering spirits sent out to serve us who believe and trust in Jesus. So we read in the Psalms that

. . . he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot. - Psa 91:11-13 ESV

Wherever you go, whatever you do, when you walk in faith, you have nothing to fear. The LORD's angels are with you. Find in that great promise comfort and encouragement. That is their ministry, their service and as they perform it, they rejoice.