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Angels-What They Do
Angels have four main functions: 1) worship and serve God 2) protect and deliver saints 3) pour out judgment on the wicked 4) war against demons
I. Angels Worship and Serve God
Rev. 5:11-12-The angels join in with the 24 elders and the 4 living creatures in praise to God. Also see Rev. 7:11-12. These verses picture what the angels are doing in heaven.
Luke 2:13-15-At the birth of Jesus, the angels appeared on earth and praised God.
Ps. 103:20-21-Angels bless the Lord, perform His Word, serve Him, do His will, and obey His voice. Since angels are to obey the voice of God, we can pray that
God will send His angels to protect us.
The Bible doesn't teach that we can command angels to do what we wish, as some interpret Matthew 18:18 to mean. Even Jesus, in Matt. 26:53, didn't command angels, but spoke of asking the Father to send them. The Bible teaches that Christians can bind Satan (Matt. 12:24-29, Luke 11:17-22) and loose people in bondage (Luke 13:11-16, Mark 7:33-35, John 11:44), but it says nothing of loosing angels.
II. Angels Protect and Deliver the Saints
The following verses show the relationship between the angels and believers, and how angels minister to us (Heb. 1:14).
1. "Joy in the presence of angels" In Luke 15:7-10, Jesus said there is joy in the presence of angels over one sinner who repents. It doesn't say the angels rejoice, but that they are present when the people in heaven rejoice over a repentant sinner. Perhaps that means they are sent out to minister to that individual at the moment the person repents (Heb. 1:14, Luke 12:8-9).
2. "Confess before the angels" In Luke 12:8-9, we find that when we confess Jesus before men, then He will confess us before the angels of God. This suggests several things:
a. When we confess Him before men, He confesses us before an order of beings that is higher than men, the angels.
b. This suggests a special protection upon us when we share our faith in Christ to others.
c. This shows that the angels know us by name.
3. "Their angels in heaven continually behold the face of My Father"
In Matt. 18:10, Jesus warns those who would harm one of His little ones because their angels see the face of the Father.
a. "Their angels" suggests that each believer has his own guardian angels to protect him and judge those who hurt him.
b. Angels can behold the face of the Father at the same time they watch events on earth. Don't think of heaven as "far away"!
c. This suggests the Father dispatches them to protect us.
4. Angels can prepare the way and protect us from harm.
Gen. 24:7-Angel went before him to find a wife
Ex. 14:19-The angel of God went before and behind them.
Ex. 23:20-Angel went before them to prepare the way.
Ps. 34:7-"The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues him." If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you have an angel near you right now!
Ps. 91:11-12-The angels guard us in our ways and sometimes they intervene to keep us from hurting ourselves. This verse was misquoted by the devil in Luke 4:10 by trying to get Jesus to act foolishly on the basis that "God will protect you anyway."
5. Angels can deliver the saints if they are in trouble.
Acts 12:5-11-And angel woke up Peter in prison and his chains fell off. He then led him past the guards while the gate opened by itself, setting him free. Also see Acts 5:19.
6. Angels can give us strength.
Matt. 4:11-After Jesus was tempted, the angels ministered to Him.
Luke 22:43-In the Garden of Gethsemane, an angel strengthened Jesus.
Dan. 10:15-18-And angel touched Daniel and he was strengthened.
7. Angels carry Christians to heaven when they die.
Luke 16:22-The angels carried the spirit of the poor man to Abraham's bosom (Paradise). Angels watch over us while we are alive, and carry us to God when we die.
8. Angels are taught wisdom by Christians.
Eph. 3:10-the manifold wisdom of God is taught to angels through the Church.
1 Pet. 1:10-12-Angels desire to look into salvation. They can't experience salvation, but they desire to know more about it.
1 Cor. 4:9-They constantly watch us.
Heb. 13:2-Some have entertained angels without knowing it.
III. Angels Execute Judgment Upon the Wicked.
Acts 12:19-23-Herod was struck dead by an angel.
2 Kings 19:35-One angel killed 185,000 Assyrians.
Throughout the book of Revelation, God uses angels to pour out judgment upon the earth.
At the 2nd Coming of Jesus, the angels will come with Jesus to execute judgment upon on unbelievers (Jude 14-15, Matt. 16:27, 2 Thess. 1:6-10). It is clear the angels know who is savedand who isn't because they will gather the wicked for judgment (Matt. 13:30, 37-41, 25:31-32).
IV. Angels War With Demons.
The Bible teaches there is a warfare between angels and demons in the spiritual realm. This is not to be confused with our warfare against demons (2 Cor. 10:4).
Rev. 12:7-9 speaks of a war in heaven between Michael and his angels and Satan and his angels. The devil wasn't strong enough and was thrown down to earth.
In Dan. 10:12-13, 20-21, Daniel prayed and the answer was delayed 21 days because was a demon "prince" over Persia was warring with the angel who was bringing the answer. The angel called upon Michael to him fight, and the angel finally got to Daniel with the answer.
Satan and the demons will be bound at the 2nd Coming of Christ (Rev. 20:1-2, 10).
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