Angels All Around Us

A friend recently opened my mind to the topic of angels. My perception of angels has always been in the positive aspect of protection. But in a brief study of angels, I have found a different aspect of angels that has been stretching my thinking. We can find angels in thirty-four books of the Bible in 275 references. Christ taught the existence of angels in Matthew 18:10 and 26:53. They are a distinct order of creation and have been given a heavenly position, or sphere, above the sphere of man. Angel means messenger and angels are referred to in the masculine gender with two exceptions (Zechariah 5:9). Angels are not a race but a host. They are the sons of God (Job 1:6), not of other angels. They were created (Job 38:6-7) at some point in time before the creation of the physical world, in a state of holiness and are innumerable.

In II Kings 19 we read the story of Hezekiah. In verse 15 he prayed, “O Lord, the God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim (angel), you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth; Incline your ear, O Lord and hear; open your eyes, O Lord and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God. . . .So now O Lord our God, save us, please, from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O Lord, are God alone.”

In verse 20, Isaiah tells Hezekiah, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Your prayer to me about Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard.” And in verse 34 He says, “I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.”

Verse 35, “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.”

Wow! Here we have a story where an angel was a messenger of death. He did what God commanded to protect Israel. You can also find this story in Isaiah 37:36.

We find another story in Acts 12:20-23, Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon and they came to him with one accord and having persuaded Blastus, the kin's chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king's country for food. On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon his throne, and delivered an oration to them. And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man! Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.

In II Samuel 24:16 we read a different outcome; “And when the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord relented from the calamity and said to the angel who was working destruction among the people, “It is enough; now stay your hand.” And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. Then David spoke to the Lord when he saw the angel who was striking the people, and said, “Behold, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly. . .”

Wow! What a story of God's mercy. And it tells us that angels did the bidding of Almighty God. And it also tells us that David saw the angel. Very interesting.

Now lets look at the positive side of angels. In Psalm 34:7 we read, “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Do we all have a guardian angel? Perhaps. Psalm 91:11 says, “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.” What do you think?

In Hebrews 13:2 tells us, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”

There is a contemporary song titled, Whom Shall I Fear, that has this interesting phrase, “The God of angel armies”. The imagery of an army of angels being before me, behind me, and all around me, is a very comforting thought. Of course it is God who has command of these armies and it is in Him that I put my faith and trust.

You can listen to the song, Whom Shall I Fear, here. 

I know who goes before me
I know who stands behind

The God of angel armies
is always by my side

Written by Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash, Scott Cash • Copyright © Music Services, Inc