Are Angels in the World To-Day?
By William Brown
Rev. William Brown, in “Sunday School Times” THE student of the Scriptures easily recognizes that a very large place is given in both the Old and the New Testament to the ministry of angels. Even a casual reading of the Bible confirms most accurately this conclusion. Many are the varieties of service which they perform; under many differing circumstances do they appear. Sometimes they are agents in the work of rescue; again they are seen in the character of messengers of comfort and of help. Sometimes we behold them as strong deliverers. In contrast with this richness of angelic ministry spread over all the pages of Scripture, it must be confessed that in the thought of the average Christian and in the consciousness of Christian experience there is not much place given to the agency of angels as the bearers and ministers of God’s goodness to the individual life. It really occasions surprise when one realizes how sharp the contrast is at this point. For instance, one would naturally expect that in works on systematic or Christian theology there would be a very full treatment of this subject, of which so much is made in Scripture; yet here we are surprised by the meagerness of the discussion. Dr. A. B. Bruce, in his “Epistle to the Hebrews,” says: “For modern men the angels are very much a dead theological category. [Although] everywhere in the old Jewish world, they are next to nowhere in our world. They have practically disappeared from the universe in thought and fact.” So we face the fact that there has actually occurred the dropping out from the consciousness of the church, and largely from practical Christian experience, any recognition of angel ministry. This occurs, too, while at the same time there is the theoretical acknowledgment of the truthfulness of the Biblical narrative. How are we to account for this remarkable change? The reason is in large measure to be found in the assurance which is given to the Christian, of free and uninterrupted fellowship with God. With a wealth of repetition there is promised the closest possible union between the Christian and his Lord. “Lo, I am with you alway,” is the Master’s own word. We are told that He will actually abide in us and we in Him. This being the case, the question naturally arises, What further need is there for a ministry of beings far inferior to our Lord, tho they may be much higher than we are? We are promised the actual guidance of the Holy Spirit. This along with God’s minute and comprehensive knowledge of all things pertaining to us seems to render unnecessary any help from angelic beings. Nevertheless it is clearly not the part of wisdom thus to set aside in our practical thought, and in our survey of the content of the Christian life, the very beautiful and compelling picture of angel ministry. God’s word at no point would lead us to conclude that there is anything of a temporary nature about the work of angels. The writer of the epistle to the Hebrews expresses the truth for all time when he says, “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation?” Some facts gathered from Scripture concerning the angels5stand out very clearly. They are a great company, like the hosts of a mighty army. They are not flesh and blood as we are, but spiritual beings, probably with spiritual bodies. They are ever ready to do the will of God, waiting on Him in the spirit of loving, prompt obedience. With marvelous swiftness they can pass through the spaces of the universe, fulfilling their Lord’s command. In the prayer which He taught His disciples, our Lord gives us this petition: “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” What is the implication in those words concerning the doing of God’s will in heaven? Is it not a reference to the great company of angels continually attending to His every command? Their interests lie wholly within the sphere of the Father’s interests, especially in the sphere of redemption. For this reason they were the heralds of the incarnation. It is for this reason also that we are told of the joy in their presence over one sinner that repenteth. Their work on behalf of those who are young in the Christian life is revealed in the words of the Master where He warns against despising one of these little ones, for their angels always behold the face of the Father. It is in this aspect of a gracious ministry that we see them most frequently. Angels rescued Lot from the destruction of Sodom. They were the bearers of God’s comforting message to Jacob when he lay down to sleep on the rocky hillside at Bethel. They cheered Elijah in the hour of his loneliness and depression. Promptly they took their place as ministers to our Lord’s need following His temptation. The agony of Gethsemane also found them with their strength for that hour. As they were privileged to announce the fact of the incarnation, so also were they bearers of the message of the resurrection of our Lord. The stirring truth which all this brings to us is that our Father, whose will the angels delight to do, still has a large place for their service; they are still His ministering spirits. In His infinitely wise and loving protection of His own He has a definite task for His angels. They are the agents of His providence, working continually under His direction and control. He guides them in their appointed tasks. They are not the source of good in themselves; they do not claim for themselves the worship of men; they know that they are only the servants of the Creator of all. To us they are unknown, because unseen; yet that does not take away from their actual existence and presence in the world. They watch over us; they accompany us on our journeys; by night and by day they are near. The servant of Elisha, when his eyes were opened, discovered that the mountain was full of horses of fire and chariots of fire. So numerous are they that they can shield us from the fiery darts of the evil one. When the evil one makes an attack on one of God’s children, His angels form a wall of fire round about him. They protect from physical dangers, from disease and accident. Oftentimes they are the Father’s agency in bringing messages of comfort and of peace. Following a time of stress and turmoil, they bring a calmness of soul that is mysterious in its origin. In no better way do we have an expression of the constancy of this ministry of protection than that given to us by the psalmist out of his own experience, and prophesying the greater experience of David’s Son: “For He will 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.”
It is not mere enthusiasm to maintain that it is the privilege of the Christian to have the same consciousness of angel protection which the writer of this psalm had. For we know that back of all that they do for us, back of all their activity, but giving direction to it, there is the unerring wisdom and loving power of our heavenly Father. . . . With the advent of our Lord in glory they will accompany Him, still as His ministers to do His commands; separating the righteous from the wicked, and ushering them into the fulness of heavenly joy. A genuine belief in angel ministry is not something that may be designated mere childishness, something to be laid aside when we reach years of maturity. On the other hand, it is to be a sure ground of confidence and strength. Very properly may children be taught the beautiful lines: “Hush, my dear! Lie still and slumber.
Holy angels guard thy bed;
Heavenly blessings without number
Gently falling round thy head.”
At the same time, the truthfulness of these lines may be appropriated by every one. For in a far larger sense than we now realize, it is the privilege of God’s children to appreciate the inspiring truth of angel ministry, to know that they are continually being sent forth to do service for those who shall inherit salvation.