What About Angels? (Lesson 11) - Bible Basics For Smart People Who Do Not Want To Be Dummies About God and the Bible (Parts I, II, III), written by J. George Cover, former missionary to Sierra Leone, West Africa

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Bible Basics

For Smart People
Who Do Not Want To Be Dummies
About God and the Bible
(Parts I, II, III)
By J. George Cover

Lesson 11 - What About Angels? Cont'd.^{(Text Version)}

What Do Angels Do?

Angels are messenger as the word itself means. Angel messengers were sent to individuals, sometimes in person and sometimes in dreams. The Bible records that an angel or angels were sent to:


Hagar - Genesis 16:7                   Jacob - Genesis 31:11
Moses - Exodus 3:2                     Balaam - Numbers 20:11-35
Israelites - Judges 2:1                  Gideon - Judges 6:11-22
Manoah & wife - Judges 13:1-20    David - 2 Samuel 24:16
Elijah - 1 Kings 19:5, 7; 2 Kings 1:3, 15
Three Hebrews - Daniel 3:25, 28    Daniel - 6:22; 8:16; 9:2 1; 10:10
Zechariah - Zechariah 1:1-6:5       Zecharias - Luke 1:11- 19
Mary - Luke 1:26-38                    Joseph - Matthew 1:20, 24; 2:13, 19
Jesus - Luke 4:13; Luke 22:43      Women at Tomb - Luke 24:4
Ascension - Acts 1:10                 Apostles - Acts 5:19
Philip - Acts 8:26                        Cornelius - Acts 10:3, 22.
Peter - Acts 12:7-23                    Paul - Acts 27:23
John - Revelation 1:1

Angels were sent to personally minister to the needs of people -- "them who shall be heirs of salvation" (Hebrews 1:14). See Scriptures by names above of Hagar, Jacob, Eleazar (Genesis 24:7, 40), Three Hebrews in the fiery furnace, Daniel in the lions den, Moses, Gideon, Jesus, Apostles.
To protect and deliver: Elisha and his servant (2 Kings 6:14-17); Three Hebrews, Daniel, Apostles, them that fear the Lord (Psalm 91:1, 11, 12; 37:7).
To execute judgment because of sin -- Sodom and Gomorrah; Egypt (Exodus 12); Invading armies (2 Kings 19:35); David and Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 21:16); Herod Agrippa (Acts 12:22, 23); the wicked when Christ returns and to cast them into "a furnace of fire" (Matthew 13:40-42, 50) great plagues during the tribulation (Revelation).
To take the souls of the saints to Paradise (Luke 16:22).
To represent children before the Heavenly Father (Matthew 18:10).
Rejoice over the conversion of sinners (Luke 15:7).
Do His commandments, hearkening to His voice (Psalm 103:23).
Are spectators (1 Corinthians 4:9).
To be guardians of those who fear the Lord (Psalm 91:1, 11, 12; 37:7). Some believe that a guardian angel is assigned to each child and each person who serves the Lord. We are not told that this is so in the Scriptures. When Peter was released from prison by the angel and stood outside the door where people were praying for him, some did not believe but said "it is his angel." This is not e8plained as to what was meant.
Preach the everlasting gospel (Revelation 14:6). This is mentioned only one time and it will be during the great tribulation at the end of the age, after the church is removed from the earth. This is not the job of angels during this church age. That is committed to us and commanded of us. Angels only sometimes direct people to those who will share the gospel with them.

Do Angels Sing and Play Harps?

It would seem that they surely do. However, the only Bible reference to that seems to be in Job 38:7 when "the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy " when the foundations of the earth were fastened and the comer stone laid.

Lucifer was an angel and it says concerning him, "The workmanship of thy tabrets and thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created" (Ezekiel 28:13). Maybe that is why the devil promotes so much evil music in the world.

As to harps, the Bibles speaks of the four living creatures, the twenty four elders playing harps (Revelation 5:8). John said in Revelation 14:2-3, "I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song hut the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth" (of the 12 tribes of Israel Revelation 7).

Are Angels Always Visible?

They are spirits and therefore invisible. However, they can become visible and appear as celestial beings or people. People are not to worship angels.

"Please tell me more."