The Ministering Angels

UV 1095/10,000 The Ministering Angels

Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

Hebrews 1 v 14

The angels are the ministering spirits of the Lord. They minister to the Lord with continual praise and worship. He sends them as messengers to convey important messages to humanity. Abraham the father of faith had angelic visitations. The angel delivered the promise of God that he will have a heir by Sarah. At the time of the birth of His Son, the Messiah of the whole world, Jesus, Gabriel the archangel was sent to convey the good news. An angel was sent to Jacob in the wilderness. Jacob wrestled with the angel till day break that the angel bless him. Angels as representatives of God have the power to bless. Angels of death are also written of in scripture. The angel of death visited the houses of all Egyptians before the tenth plague in which the first-born son of every Egyptian died. This was the last straw that broke Pharaoh’s resistance to let the Israelites leave. The angel Michael overcame resistance to the messenger of God reaching Daniel. Angels are sent to administer gifts. The angel Gabriel came to Daniel to give him skill and understanding of visions. Angels were sent to give victory to the army of Israel. Angels were sent to deliver the apostles from chains and prisons. Taking their lesson from the fall of Lucifer, a chief angel who had fallen due to pride and ambition, the angels always conduct themselves with great humility, grace and serve us in a self-effacing manner. They can slay a man for appropriating glory to himself and not giving the due praise to God just as an angel smote Herod who failed to give God the glory. They are quite practical and wise creatures: Peter in prison was in a kind of daze but the angel asked him to wear his clothes and put on his sandals. Angels are powerful: with one blow even the chains on the imprisoned apostles fell off. Prayers and faith trigger angelic visitations. When Peter was in prison and guarded by four squads of guards, the church was earnestly praying for him. Angels have emotions: when Sarah laughed at the promise that she would bear a male child to Abraham, the angel took offence and she hastened to cover up her lapse with a denial.

Believers in Christ are the heirs of salvation. The angels are sent to minister to us: to encamp around and guard those who fear the Lord, to encourage us, to strengthen us in our weak moments. The presence of angels is a sign of the favour and grace of God. An angel was sent to the devout Roman centurion Cornelius to ask him to send for Peter. The Lord is Ebenezer or Helper to those who believe and trust in Him. He helps us often by sending us these ministering spirits.

We are created lower in the spiritual hierarchy than the angels who are also created but heavenly beings. But the astonishing aspect of our faith is that once we believe in Christ and become co-heirs with Him, we take precedence over the angels. We have the power and the right as inheritors of grace to command the angels to assist us. We can command them provided we are in right relationship with God. We can ask them to protect us physically, to guide us, to help us with our professional work, to face difficult situations. Often the angels accompany us unseen and invisible but at times they are visible to the human eye. The angels rejoice and celebrate when our homes are frequented by prayer and worship. The ultimate priority and task of the angels is to usher our souls into the salvation that we receive by grace of faith.

Prateep V Philip