The Cracked Acorn: Angels

SECRETS OF THE BIBLE COLLECTOR’S EDITION U.S. News & WORLD REPORT has a colorful section about angels. The word is mentioned over 200 times in the Bible. The word angel has always been interpreted as a “messenger.” They do God’s bidding, can be helpers or protectors. Hebrews 1:14 defines angels as “ministering spirits.” Some think angels are watching over loved ones.

But we do not really know what the angels are doing today! We may have entertained angels unaware but still who can say that they have seen an angel. At the holiday season, angels are all about us in the malls and in the lyrics of the season’s carols. I would like to say that all of us have our guardian angel and that we would never fall into the path of harm or even death, but I cannot. A television show like TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL wanted us to believe that angels cover the full range of duties to God’s people and even sometimes in non-believers who after being saved by an angel turn to a firm belief in God.

Duties are: The host of angels is involved in worship & praise in heaven (Isaiah 6:1-3; Revelation 4-4). They serve as messengers to communicate God’s will to men Acts 7:52-53). They gave instructions to Joseph, the women at the tomb, to Philip and to Cornelius (Matt, 1-2, Acts 8:26 & 10:1-8). They provided food for Hagar, Elijah, and Christ(Genesis 21:17-20,1 Kings 19:6, Matthew 4:11). They protected Daniel and his friends (Daniel 3 & 6). They released the apostles out of prisons (Acts 5 & 12). In the story of Lazarus and the rich man, we have a record where the angels carried Lazarus away to “Abraham’s bosom” when he died(Luke 16:22).

Angels are marvelous, but we have to be careful that they are not incorrectly placed and confused with God, they are clearly placed between God and man, they are not eternal but created (Colossians 1:16-17). Judges 13:18 says they are beyond human understanding and not omniscient. Their glory consists in unique service to God’s divine will. Paul speaks of a tendency among some to elevate angels at the expense of Christ(Colossians 2:18). Artists through the ages have tried to show angels in paintings to glorify them, giving them bodies of flesh. We know that they can take this form but their existence is spiritual. When Stephen was at death from the stoning his face shone like that of an angel (Acts 6:15)-can we say that his face showed the purity and beauty of one who is in the presence of God?

Genesis 28:10 – And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

Children’s Angel Ideas: When it gets cold, angels go north for the winter. Sara,6; Angels work for God and watch over kids when God has to go do something else. Mitchell,7 ; My guardian angel helps me with math, but he’s not good with science. Henry,8; Angels live in cloud houses made by God and his Son, who’s a very good carpenter. Jared,9; All angels are girls because they wear dresses and boys don’t go for that. Antonia,9