Yo!

Did you ever wonder if we really have guardian angels?

Angels have been talked about among human beings for centuries. Many questions arise, such as whether or not they truly exist, what they look like, their purpose, etc. We see angels depicted in a variety of places, like paintings, sculptures, movies, and even tattoos. They are usually shown to be people who have large wings and long hair, wearing white flowy garments. Where did we get this image from? Many people also make statements about having a guardian angel, or that their relatives have become angels and are watching over them in heaven. Describing someone as an angel is also a popular thing to say.

In this episode, we talk about what the true word of God says about angels, and find out whether they actually exist or not. Take a listen and enjoy!

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Transcript

Are angels real?

This can be a complicated subject, because we are now talking about the supernatural things of God…and who wants to try and explain those things in human terms? Nonetheless, let’s take a look at what scripture has revealed to us:

Yes, angels are real. Throughout the Bible we see dozens of references to angels. Some of their interactions with people have been recorded, such as in Acts 12:5-19 when Peter is freed from jail by an angel. In the Book of Judges, chapter 13 describes an interaction between Samson’s parents and an angel. We also see mention of angels serving in a particular role, such as the angels who stood guard at Eden after Adam and Eve were expelled from the garden. Check out Genesis 3:24 for that account. There are various other mentions, in varying context, including instances when angels appeared to people in visions.

At times they are not explicitly referred to as angels. Often they are referenced simply as men, or sons of God, or as messengers. This is for a reason, which we’ll get to later on. But, for instance, in Genesis 32 Jacob is said to wrestle a man who merely touched his hip socket and rendered it useless. The man blessed Jacob and named him Israel, saying that “Jacob had wrestled with God and with humans and had overcome.” We see later in Hosea 12:4 that this was no ordinary man with supernatural strength, but an angel.

So, as we comb through the Word of God, the existence of angels becomes very clear to be true. We also see mention of “heavenly hosts” or “heavenly armies” which we will touch on later. There are also descriptions of “fallen angels,” but we will tackle that topic in another episode.

Are they relatives who have passed on, who have gotten wings, and are now looking down on us?

No, angels are not our relatives who have died and gotten wings and now look down on us. For one, angels are not human beings. Job 38: 4-7 actually tells us that the angels were present and rejoicing when God created the universe, before the human race even existed. Angels are actually heavenly beings that have been created by God. They are spiritual beings. We do not get an account of exactly how they are created. The angel that Samson’s parents encountered wouldn’t even tell them his name because he said it was too wonderful to understand. Yet, here are just a few facts that we can take from scripture about angels:

1. They are immortal beings. Jesus mentions this in Luke 20 when being questioned about marriage in the age to come. In verses 34-36 he says “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage.  But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection.
2.  Angels make up part of a class of created heavenly beings called the “heavenly hosts.” From scripture, we read that there are beings called “Cherubim” or “Cherub,” as well as Seraphim. The names of these beings are used interchangeably with angels in certain translations of scripture, for instance with the Cherubim being mentioned as guarding the Garden of Eden. The description of the Cherubim and Seraphim are very interesting. The Cherubim are described as having 4 faces, Seraphim having 6 wings, covered in eyes, and other amazing stuff. You can read some of those descriptions in Ezekiel Chapter 1, Isaiah chapter 6, and Revelation chapter 4.
3. Angels are very strong beings, possessing supernatural strength. In Psalm 103:20, David says that the angels are mighty in strength. In Revelation 18:21, we are told a strong angel took up a great millstone and threw it into the sea.
4. Angels can take on the appearance of men. In Genesis 19, Lot encounters angels who warn him of the destruction to come at Sodom. These angels stay in Lot’s home, and the men living in Sodom come to Lot asking where the men are so they could have sex with them. These were not just men, but angels. Also, in Hebrews 13:2 the author instructs us to show hospitality to strangers, because some people have entertained angels without even knowing it.
5. Angels and heavenly beings rejoice and praise God. In Luke 15:10, Jesus tells us that there is joy amongst the angels when one sinner repents. In Isaiah 6:1-3, we’re told that the Seraphim yell out praises to the Lord, proclaiming His holiness and glory.

Do we have some angels assigned to us…are there actually guardian Angels?

We’re told in scripture that God does assign certain angels to carry out specific tasks. For instance, in Exodus 23:20-23 God assigned an angel to go with the people of Israel, protecting them and instructing them as they travel to the promised land. In Revelation 1:20 and 2:1 we see Christ mention the Angels of the Seven churches, and the angel of the Church of Ephesus. Here we see this distinction between different angels, and their various assignments to these churches. In Daniel 8:16 and 9:20 the angel named Gabriel met with Daniel to give him a message. Gabriel says that he was commanded to visit Daniel when Daniel prayed to God. David says in Psalm 34:7 that the angel of the Lord is a guard, and surrounds and defends those who fear God. Psalm 91:11 says that God will command his angels to protect those who seek Him for refuge. So, it may not be in the way we commonly hear of guardian angels, as in “my grandma is my guardian angel protecting me,” but yes angels do protect God’s children from harm.

Ok, well that leads to the larger question at hand: What are angel’s purpose?

The purpose of angels is to serve God by tending to the needs of the humans who are children of God. Firstly, we know they do God’s work because Psalm 103:20 says Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. Then, Hebrews 1:14 sums up their purpose most precisely, stating that they are ministering spirits who are sent to care for those who will inherit salvation. Believers in Christ, who are now children of God, are the inheritors of salvation. In previously shared examples, and others throughout scripture we see that the angels appear to give help and assistance to people, in order for the will of God to be carried out. So at times this may mean giving a message of instruction such as in Acts 8:26, an interpretation of a prophecy or vision, physical protection, or to strengthen us. In Matthew 4:11, once the Devil fled from Jesus in the wilderness, angels came and took care of Jesus, strengthening him after 40 days of fasting. In Luke 22:41-44 an angel appears to Jesus and strengthens him at the Mount of Olives, causing him to pray more fervently in a moment of weakness. Jesus also makes it known that the angels are an army that fights on our behalf. In Matthew 26:52-52, Jesus tells Peter to put down his sword because if he wanted to he could call down from heaven a legion of angels to protect them. The previously mentioned examples, as well as many others in scripture show the angels performing in their various roles in assisting man.

Additionally, the angels have a specific purpose during the return of Jesus. In Matthew 13:37-50 Jesus tells us that the angels have the job of separating the righteous from the wicked, and throwing the wicked into hell.

So, this is some of what we understand about angels. With this knowledge, let’s continue to seek the Lord’s guidance, praying that His angels help us out daily…let’s make sure to be hospitable to strangers, because we may be entertaining angels without knowing it…and let’s be sure to keep spreading the gospel, so that the angels will have a lot less work to do during Christ return.

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