GOOD ANGELS


A. WHO ARE THEY?
  1. Negatively:
    1. They are not the so-called spirits of dead men.
    2. They came to the Garden of Eden long before anyone died - Gen. 3:24; Matt. 18:10
    3. They sang together at the time this world was created - Job 38:7
  2. Positively:
    1. They are created beings - Ps. 8:5
    2. They are much superior to men - Isa. 37:36; Matt. 28:2-4
B. MINISTRY OF THE GOOD ANGELS
  1. They do the commandments of God, hearkening unto the voice of His words: Ps. 103:20
  2. They minister unto all who are to be heirs of salvation: Heb. 1:14
    1. They protect them in time of danger - Ps. 34:7
      1. Jacob in his experience with Esau, his brother - Gen. 32:24-29
      2. Elisha in time of great danger - 2 Ki. 6:17
      3. Daniel and his friends - Dan. 3:24; 6:22
      4. Peter - Acts 12:7-9
      5. Paul - Acts 27:24-28
    2. They have fought on the side of the army of Israel - Judg. 4; 5; Isa. 37:36
    3. They strengthen God's people in their battle with evil angels - 1 Ki. 19:4, 5; Luke 22:43; Judg. 5:1-23
    4. They are the heavenly guardians of little children -
      1. That is what Jesus says - Matt. 18:10
      2. That shows that the angels are not the spirits of dead people because they protect children during their lifetime.
  3. The good angels play a great role in the plan of salvation:
    1. God uses them as His messengers -
      1. They announced the birth of Christ - Luke 2:10
      2. They assist the ministers of the gospel - Acts 8:26; 10:1-6; 12:7
    2. We shall never know, fully, the part the angels of God had in preparing us for the kingdom of heaven.
  4. The Bible speaks of them as the harvesters:
    1. They keep a faithful record of man's life and activities - Compare Gen. 18:17 with Eccl. 5:5, 6; Dan. 7:10
    2. They will gather the saints at the second coming of our Lord and the first resurrection - Matt. 24:31
    3. They will, too, gather the wicked to be burned - Matt. 13:33-37
C. OUR ATTITUDE TOWARD THE GOOD ANGELS
  1. We should ever be careful in our conduct in their presence:
    1. Herod is a typical example of what happens to the careless - Acts 12:20-23
    2. Sennacherib, too, learned his lesson - Isa. 36:1-22; 37:1-36
  2. We should express our humble gratitude to God for the ministry of these heavenly beings:
    1. Mention their mission of mercy to our fellow men.
    2. That is what the saints did during Bible times -
      1. Daniel did to King Darius - Dan. 6:21, 22
      2. Paul did to the people that sailed with him to Rome - Acts 27:23
      3. The book of Acts mentions the angel speaking to Philip - Acts 8:26
      4. The book of Genesis mentions the mission of the angels repeatedly.
  3. Let us thank God for the ministry of the good angels:


Design © John Bryant 2011