The Ministry of Angels

21 July 2014 by Dr Yeo Teck Thiam –

 

This is the second part of Dr Yeo’s article on ministering angels.

 

Men in White Clothes

In the Gospels, they came also, dressed as men in white clothes. In this particular duty, they came to proclaim God’s message.

Had the angels remain in their spirit form, God must open our “eyes” to see in the spirit.  However, in the human form as men in white clothes, the angels could be seen with the human eye.

 

 

So, in Luke 24:1, in the account about the Resurrection of Jesus, the angels came as God’s messengers.

 

The women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes gleamed like lightning stood beside them.

The men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you while he was still with you in Galilee.”

 

The Lord’s angels always come to us with a good purpose. If we are afraid, they precede their message with words of assurance. They tell us not to be afraid!

 

 

What a difference this is compared to how fallen angels and the devil confront us. These evil creatures create fear and terror.

 

Unseen Angelic Presence

However, angelic presence and help are not seen most times. We may sense this, yet not see what is happening. The guardian angels watch over us, especially against Satan’s fallen spirits, for the war of the serpent is fought in the spirit. We do not see these things unless the Lord opens our eyes. So we must rest content to walk by faith in the Lord.

In the chronicles of Kings, we read that the king of Aram was at war with Israel. But this king’s plans were always known to Israel, as though a spy within his camp told the Israelites. Yet this was not the actual case. It was Elisha, the man of God who warned the king of Israel.

 

 

When the king of Aram found out this, he ordered his army to take Elisha. The servant of Elisha saw his army surrounded the city. “Oh, my Lord, what shall we do?” the servant asked.

“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”  And Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so that he may see.”

Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all round Elisha. 2 Kings 6:8-17

So we understand in spiritual struggles, we know God has His angels at the ready.

 

About Cherubim and Seraphim

 

 

So far, I have focused on angels as spoken of in the New Testament. It is helpful to see the way the Old Testament called these angelic beings, as this is distinctly different from the New Testament.

This is particularly important for the Hebrew word “malak” in the Old Testament, and translated as “angel” in English. It will be for another occasion for these word meanings.

To this end, I think we can pick up other things that God shows to us at a later time, when we think of cherubim and seraphim, and when Jesus was on earth, and angels ministered to Him.

 

Going Home

God always has a part of His heavenly hosts of angels on earth, and to help us in particular. The angels’ privilege to the earth is also not restricted like the fallen spirits who were cast out of heaven.

Yet, this earth is not the angels’ home. Hardly, for theirs is the heavenly kingdom where God dwells. God’s angels always come from heaven. And to heaven, the angels go home to! This is also how we can tell the Lord’s angels, for they always return to heaven.                  

 

 

So, it is written, when Jesus was born:

 

And there were shepherds living out in the fields near by, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were terrified.

 

However, the angel came to bring tidings of great joy, for Jesus was born!

 

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

 

“Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace and goodwill to men.”

           

What a privilege to hear a heavenly choir! The shepherds did not pay an entrance fee to hear angels sing praises to God!

 

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds decided to go to Bethlehem to see the good news they heard.

 

 

So heaven is where the angels belong — and where we long to be.

 

NB: Scripture texts are from NIV.

 

NOTE :  Mr Yeo Teck Thiam is a retireer who used to work as a chemical engineer, specializing in food and perfume chemistry for an international food company and perfumer. His other main interest is astronomy and other mathematical matters, relating to the Biblical passages.

 

|Share The Good News|