Contributor: Martins Olubiyi

Introduction: Ministering spirits are otherwise referred to as Angels. The etymology of the word Angel is derived from the Latin word “Angelus”; meaning “messenger of God”. Angels were created by God. They are real. Their existence predates the creation of man. They constitute one the mysteries of God’s creations. They are spirit beings sent forth to minister unto them who shall be heirs of salvation. Heb 1:14.

Aim: The aim of this study is to explore the Biblical truth about Angels. We shall seek to know and see the mystery behind their role for those who are to inherit salvation. Mystery is meant to be known; Mat 13:11, mystery is meant to be seen Eph 3: 3, 9.

Today, we are going to examine the nature and ministry of Angels.

Truth and Error

The subject of Angels is very important in the life of a believer in Christ Jesus. Satan, the enemy of God and the human family is constantly on alert to pervert the truth and draw men away from the knowledge of the true God and of His law. Angels are divinely commissioned messengers sent to minister to those who are heirs of salvation. To frustrate this truth, Satan invented substitutes right from the time of the Egyptian priests to the modern spirit mediums, teaching that the spirit of the dead return to minister to their friends in this world through necromancy, clairvoyant psychic, etc.

Angels are not the spirits of the dead: Job 14: 19-21; Eccl. 9: 5,6; Heb. 9: 27. From these Scriptural verses, it is established that the spirits of dead men never come back to communicate with the living. They know nothing about the affairs of their friends or what is done in this world.

The Heavenly Family: Eph 3: 14-15, reads “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.”

We can ask; “who makes up this family in heaven?” Of course, not the spirits of dead men, but the holy angels who were created in heaven before man was made upon the earth.

In Gen 3: 24; there were Cherubim (high order of angels) that were assigned by God to guard the way of the tree of life when Adam and Eve were driven out of Eden. This was before any man had died. Therefore, they were not the souls of dead men.

Angels were present at the foundation of the earth:  In Job 38: 3-7. “Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee and answer thou me. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measure thereof, if thou knowest? Or who laid the corner stones thereof; when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.”

This proves that the heavenly family did exist before man was created; therefore, they were not disembodied spirits. Men and angels are not of the same nature: The testimony of David in Psa 8: 4-5. “What is man……. Thou hast made in a little lower than the angels”. Also Heb. 2:16, Paul says “For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took the seed of Abraham.”

Angels are real beings: They are real personal beings, possessing form and substance. Zeller’s Bible Dictionary, art. Says Angels are not without body, as we cannot very easily conceive of any creature without bodily form; but they have higher, finer, ethereal bodily form, which is according to the heavenly world system to which they belong”. The Bible substantiates this unequivocally in Isa. 6: 1,2: Ezek. 10:12. Also in Gen. 18:1-8; 19:1-3 The Lord appeared to Abraham in the plain of Mamre and Lot in Sodom respectively. Angel did eat man’s food. Psa. 78: 23-25. David says, “Man did eat angel’s food”.

Number of the Angels: The exact number of the holy angels is not stipulated in the Bible. However, there are instances from which we may form an idea of the limitlessness of this heavenly hosts of God. In Mat. 26: 53 Jesus said “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He shall presently give Me more than twelve legions of angels”. Also, in Heb 12:22, Paul talks of innumerable company of angels.

Their work in the Gospel: The work of unfolding the things contained in the prophecy of Daniel, especially concerning the atonement and the sacrifice of the Messiah, was committed to Angel Gabriel. Dan. 8: 13-17; 9: 20-27. The same Angel Gabriel was assigned to foretell the birth of John the Baptist, and of the Messiah in Luke 1:11-19, 26-33. In the end time of the great harvest angels have a role to play. In Rev. 14: 6-12, angels will be involved; working alongside men. The proclamation will not be in their own, or according to their own wisdom but with the help from heaven. Zech. 4: 6 says “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts.”

Angels are ministering spirits to the children of God: We have established that “Angel” signifies messenger. The Union Bible Dictionary, says the original word, both in Hebrew and Greek , means messenger as it translated in Matt. 11:10. From this verse it is the office of the angels to oversee the works of God, especially the cause of God in this earth; to watch over His children, minister to their needs, and defend them from their adversary, the devil. Innumerable in their number, they are always before the throne of God, to attend to His command- Rev. 5:11. The angels are His officers, or messengers, whom He Has appointed to have charge of this earth; They watch over His people, and minister to their needs; They bear the prayers of the saints up before the Lord, and come again to answer them, according to God’s direction. Psa. 103: 19-22. Many instances are recorded in the Bible where God Has sent His angel to minister to His children. In Gen. 24: 7, Abraham said to his servant, “The Lord shall send His angel before thee.” In 1 Kings 19: 5,6- An angel ministered to Elijah when he was weak, he said: “arise and eat”.

Every child of God has a guardian Angel: The Lord sends an angel to watch over every one of His children given assurance of victory over every foe in warfare. Ps. 34:7 says “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him.” In Acts. 12, the angel of God attended to the disciples’ prayers for Peter in prison, in vs 15, they said “it is his angel” because of Rhoda’s testimony. In time of trouble, it is said to the saints, “For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone”.

Conclusion: Beloved, ministering spirits are real. They are eager to hearken to the voice of God’s word in our mouths. The Lord said to us in the world we shall face tribulation, but we should be of good cheer because we have overcome the world. Angels are deployed by God to attend to our needs as heirs of salvation. But because we cannot see the angels with our natural eyes, we are quick to forget that they are constantly with us, seeing and hearing us, and noting our words and conduct. Therefore, let us create our world with our words as we avail the assistance of our ministering spirits.

This study was culled from Angels: Their Nature and Ministry: Revised by J. H. Waggoner.