Angels, part 1 | |
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Hebrews 1:14 says, “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” The Lord began to really impress on me the word “ministers”. Let’s read some of the definitions of the word “minister” in the Webster’s dictionary.
Minister : 1. A diplomat who ranks next below an ambassador. (We are called ambassadors, 2 Cor 5:20)
2. A high officer of state who heads a governmental division. (The Spiritual world.)
3. An agent for another.
Wow! An angel fits all of these definitions. How did angels minister to people in the Bible? Let’s take a look.
In Genesis 16:7 an angel came to Hagar and ministered truth and future events to her. “And he said, ‘Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?’” Do you think the angel really did not know already? I believe he did know, but was possibly getting Hagar to confess what she was doing so that she could be healed (James 5:16).
“’I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,’ she answered” (vs. 8). Then he goes on to tell her to go back to Sarai and that he would increase her descendants, that she was with child, a son, and that she would name him Ishmael who would be a “wild donkey of a man” (verses 10-12).
Angels minister truth.
We learn in I Kings 19:5-9 that an angel appeared to Elijah while he lay sleeping (vs 5) and provided food for him because he was discouraged and wanted to die. “All at once an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat.’ He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. 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.”
The food and water provided enough strength and energy that he traveled FORTY days and FORTY nights! Wow, that is some powerful ministering!
Angels can minister to us by providing food and water.
There was an angel who appeared to Jesus when He was praying on the Mount of Olives the night before His crucifixion and the angel strengthened Him, “An angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him” (Lk 22:43).
Did you know that when Jesus was in the desert being tempted by satan angels came and “attended Him”, Mark 1:13? They did, and there was more than one angel who attended Jesus. Matthew 4:11 puts it this way, “Then the devil left Him, and angels came and attended Him.” Isn’t it interesting that it says the devil left Him, THEN the angels came.
Angels minister to us by strengthening us and attending us.
Let’s look at the word, “attend” and what it means:
To accompany or be present with, as a companion or a servant; To pay regard or heed; to be present , in pursuance of duty; to act as an attendant. So when the angel “attended” Jesus he could have been acting as an “attendant”, “accompanying” Jesus, “paying regard” to Him and doing his “duty”.
There are many times throughout the Bible that angels were sent to protect and guard God’s people. In Exodus 23:20 the Lord says to Moses, “See I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and bring you to the place I have prepared.”
Do you remember the story of Balaam and how his donkey would not move forward, so he whipped his donkey? “The donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat her to get her back on the road.” (Nu 22:23).
Then in verse 31 we see that Balaam’s eyes are open. “Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell face down”. “The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times?” Then the angel went on to say,”The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared her”, vs. 33.
Psalm 91:11, “He will command His angels concerning you to GUARD you in ALL your ways.”
Angels minister protection.
So from this study we conclude that angels:
1. Minister truth,
2. Provide food and water to strengthen us,
3. Strengthen and attend us and
4. Minister protection.
Go to our next post for Angels Part 2
Harvest International Ministry, Inc. ©
Minister : 1. A diplomat who ranks next below an ambassador. (We are called ambassadors, 2 Cor 5:20)
2. A high officer of state who heads a governmental division. (The Spiritual world.)
3. An agent for another.
Wow! An angel fits all of these definitions. How did angels minister to people in the Bible? Let’s take a look.
In Genesis 16:7 an angel came to Hagar and ministered truth and future events to her. “And he said, ‘Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?’” Do you think the angel really did not know already? I believe he did know, but was possibly getting Hagar to confess what she was doing so that she could be healed (James 5:16).
“’I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,’ she answered” (vs. 8). Then he goes on to tell her to go back to Sarai and that he would increase her descendants, that she was with child, a son, and that she would name him Ishmael who would be a “wild donkey of a man” (verses 10-12).
Angels minister truth.
We learn in I Kings 19:5-9 that an angel appeared to Elijah while he lay sleeping (vs 5) and provided food for him because he was discouraged and wanted to die. “All at once an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat.’ He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. 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.”
The food and water provided enough strength and energy that he traveled FORTY days and FORTY nights! Wow, that is some powerful ministering!
Angels can minister to us by providing food and water.
There was an angel who appeared to Jesus when He was praying on the Mount of Olives the night before His crucifixion and the angel strengthened Him, “An angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him” (Lk 22:43).
Did you know that when Jesus was in the desert being tempted by satan angels came and “attended Him”, Mark 1:13? They did, and there was more than one angel who attended Jesus. Matthew 4:11 puts it this way, “Then the devil left Him, and angels came and attended Him.” Isn’t it interesting that it says the devil left Him, THEN the angels came.
Angels minister to us by strengthening us and attending us.
Let’s look at the word, “attend” and what it means:
To accompany or be present with, as a companion or a servant; To pay regard or heed; to be present , in pursuance of duty; to act as an attendant. So when the angel “attended” Jesus he could have been acting as an “attendant”, “accompanying” Jesus, “paying regard” to Him and doing his “duty”.
There are many times throughout the Bible that angels were sent to protect and guard God’s people. In Exodus 23:20 the Lord says to Moses, “See I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and bring you to the place I have prepared.”
Do you remember the story of Balaam and how his donkey would not move forward, so he whipped his donkey? “The donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat her to get her back on the road.” (Nu 22:23).
Then in verse 31 we see that Balaam’s eyes are open. “Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell face down”. “The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times?” Then the angel went on to say,”The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared her”, vs. 33.
Psalm 91:11, “He will command His angels concerning you to GUARD you in ALL your ways.”
Angels minister protection.
So from this study we conclude that angels:
1. Minister truth,
2. Provide food and water to strengthen us,
3. Strengthen and attend us and
4. Minister protection.
Go to our next post for Angels Part 2
Harvest International Ministry, Inc. ©