No, this is not an article about the character differences among your children! Ha!
This whole idea of angels and demons has been rebirthed in conversations because of books like Angels and Demons, The Davinci Code, and Demon Angel. The paranormal has always been good fodder for authors and script writers. But the truth is angels and demons are real entities. They really exist. They belong to the doctrine of the Church and they always have been. The mention of angels is inclusive in Scripture. In the NASB translation these celestial beings are referred to 196 times-103 times in the Old Testament and 93 times in the New Testament.
In understanding the nature of these beings, it is important for us first to see what the Bible says about OUR nature. The Bible says plainly that we too are spiritual beings.
1 Thess. 5:23 (NKJV) Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus.
You are a spirit. You have a soul. And you live in a body.
So, what is my spirit? What does is it like? How do I recognize it? And my soul??! That sounds so elusive. Here is some thought that might help us understand what the apostle Paul meant when he used those words.
Your body, well, that is that overweight thing you carry around! (Just kidding!)
Your Soul is made up of your mind, will, and emotions.
Your Spirit consists of your conscience, intuition, and communion with God.
God’s zenith of creation, man, is a spiritual being.
Now when it comes to angels, we need to look at what the Bible says about them and not rely on what we have seen in paintings or at the book store pictures (even Christian book stores), or on Valentine’s Day cards. Angels are not fat babies with bows and arrows. They are powerful, strong male figures who fight and bring messages.
2 Kings 19:35 That night the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning–there were all the dead bodies!
Now that doesn’t sound like a Gerber baby, does it? No, angels are God’s servants and they do His work.
Hebrews 1:14 (NASB) Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?
To those of the household of Faith, these messengers of God have been sent to help us. Guard us. Protect us.
In the scripture, angels came and gave understanding; they brought protection from disasters. They would sometimes appear in human form. We are even challenged in the New Testament to make sure that we take care of strangers because sometimes they are really angels.
Hebrews 13:2 (NIV) Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
Angels are one more provision that our Lord has made for His people.
I remember once during my hippie years, I had dropped out of college and bought a one way ticket on a freighter ship so I could live with my uncle in Amsterdam, Holland. The ship left from New Orleans and I had to be there a day early to catch it. The room I stayed in was cheap and dirty, like one of those out of old black and white gangster movies. I was nineteen years old and scared to the bones. Although a rebel to the core, I had a godly mother and family. They began to pray for me and cry out to God on my behalf.
The ship was delayed one day, and so I took a walk in Lincoln Park. There I met a guy who spoke with me for 4 hours non-stop about my life and the choices I was making. At the end of our conversation, I wanted to go home. So I did. I do not know the man’s name or anything about him…. But I believe he was an angel sent to me because of the prayers on my behalf.
“Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?”
I am so glad my family prayed for me and that our God answered.