The Ministry of Angels

Yesterday we considered the question of “Guardian Angels.” The Bible tells us that angels are “ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation” (Hebrews 1:14). What is the ministry to which angels are sent forth in relation to believers on earth?[i]

Bring nourishment

1 Kings 19:5-6 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.

Deliver announcements

Judges 13:3 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.

Luke 1:28ff And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women…

Escort believers

2 Kings 2:11 ...behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

Luke 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom…

Offer encouragement

Genesis 21:17-18 And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.

Acts 27:23-24 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Cæsar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

Offer guidance or counsel

Matthew 1:20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

Acts 8:26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.

Provide protection

Psalm 34:7 The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

2 Kings 6:17 …behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

Daniel 6:22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me…

Serve as God’s instrument fulfilling prayer

Acts 12:5-10 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him…And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.

Work providentially in healing

John 5:4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

The above texts provide examples or samples of the ministry of angels recorded in the Bible. In addition, their ministry may be “unawares” – unnoticed by the very ones who benefit from it. Hebrews 13:2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

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[i] At Bible.Org J. Hampton Keathley provides an extensive and interesting study, Angelology: The Doctrine of Angels.

Guardian Angels?

Q. Does each individual Christian have his or her own guardian angel?

A. According to Dictionary.com a “Guardian Angel” is “an angel believed to protect a particular person, as from danger or error.” The idea of the guardian angel seems to be a fairly common and favored belief in our culture. Our intent is not to consider whether it is popular or that some church holds the position,[i] but whether the Bible teaches and supports the idea.

The primary verses that are used to support the idea of a personal guardian angel seem to be two: (1) Matthew 18:10,[ii] and (2) Acts 12:15.[iii] The Roman Catholic Church also uses Psalm 91:10-12.[iv] These fall short of saying that each person (or each believer) has a specific angel assigned to him or her, based on the following other biblical examples.

• Because we find one angel ministering to more than one person at different times. For example, the angel Gabriel was a messenger to Daniel (Daniel 8:15-16), Zacharias (Luke 1:18-19), and Mary (Luke 1:26-27).
• Because we find one angel ministering to more than one person at the same time. For example, the angel of the Lord released the apostles (plural) from prison, Acts 5:18-19.
• Because we find many angels ministering to one person at the same time. For example, a mountain full of angels was protecting Elisha, 2 Kings 6:17.

These and other verses suggest that more than likely the concept of one “Guardian Angel” is built more on our own notions than on specific teachings of Scriptures. On the other hand, the specific teachings of Scripture do not lead us to despair – the angels are “ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation” (Hebrews 1:14). It is certainly not a lesser comfort to know if need be we have access to a mountain full of angels instead of just one! The angels of the Lord move at his command (Psalm 103:20 , Matthew 26:53), the eyes of the Lord are in every place (Proverbs 15:3), and he will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

Psalm 34:7 The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

Psalm 124:2-3 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us: then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:

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[i] The Orthodox Information Center says that, “The Orthodox Church believes that every person has his own Guardian Angel, unless he has driven him away by an evil life.”

[ii] The angels of “these little ones” are collectively called “their angels.”

[iii] Just what the very surprised damsel Rhoda meant in referring to “his angel” is certainly not as clear as other passages about the ministry of angels.

[iv] Psalm 90 in the Catholic Bible. “There shall no evil come to thee: nor shall the scourge come near thy dwelling. For he hath given his angels charge over thee; to keep thee in all thy ways. In their hands they shall bear thee up: lest thou dash thy foot against a stone” (Psalm 90:10-12, Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition). The New Testament applies this to Jesus in Matthew 4:6. It may have broader application as well, but notice that “his angels” (plural) have charge over “thee” (singular) – which would also support more than one angel ministering to one individual.

Hark! ten thousand voices sounding

1. Hark! ten thousand voices sounding,
Far and wide throughout the sky;
’Tis the voice of joy abounding,
Jesus lives no more to die.

2. Jesus lives, His conflict over,
Lives to claim His great reward;
Angels round the Victor hover,
Crowding to behold their Lord.

3. Yonder throne for Him erected
Now becomes the Victor’s seat;
Lo, the Man on earth rejected,
Angels worship at His feet!

4. All the powers of Heaven adore Him,
All obey His sovereign word;
Day and night they cry before Him,
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord!

Written by Thomas Kelly (1769-1855)

Stars are angels

Rev. 1:20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

Rev. 2:1, et al. Unto the angel of the church of....write...

Who are the ‘angels’ in Revelation 2-3? A common interpretation -- perhaps the most common -- is that the seven angels represent the seven pastors of each of the seven churches of Asia. Baptist, Evangelical and Protestant commentators provide some examples:

“The candlesticks represent the churches; the stars represent the messengers or pastors of the churches...” -- B. H. Carroll, The Seven Churches of Asia
“...the seven stars which John saw in Christ’s right hand, represent the angels, or pastors of the seven churches of Asia, and in them all the pastors and ministers of the churches in all the periods of time until Christ’s second coming.” -- John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible
“These messengers were probably the pastors of these churches or prophets through who the message was to be delivered to the congregation.” -- John F. Walvoord, The Revelation of Jesus Christ
“With the meaning of the seven stars, that they are the ministers of the churches...” Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary on the Bible
“But by Angel in this and all the other epistles written to the seven churches in Asia, we are to understand the episcopacy, presbytery, and ministry in each particular church, unto whom the charge, oversight, care and government thereof was committed by the Holy Spirit...So the word ‘Angel’ in all these seven epistles, is a noun collective, comprehending all the bishops and presbyters, called elders, in this Church of Ephesus, so in all other churches of Christ in Asia, and elsewhere.” -- Hanserd Knollys, An Exposition on the Book of Revelation

The notion that angels represent pastors runs very deep in the mindset of many. But the deep-seated nature of that interpretation may disguise a lack of proof that pastors are angels or that angels are pastors.

Revelation 1:20 is “epexegetical” -- that is, it interprets itself; or (perhaps more technically) it is a verse in which the explanation or interpretation is supplied. John hears a voice, sees a vision. It is the Alpha & Omega, the beginning and the end, He who was dead and is alive forevermore. In the vision John sees Him -- the Lord Jesus Christ -- in the midst of seven golden candlesticks, holding seven stars in His hand. The vision ends with a command to write -- and an explanation of the mystery of the seven stars and seven candlesticks. The seven candlesticks are the seven churches of Asia to whom John is commanded to write. The seven stars are the angels of those seven churches. Now at once we must decide: has Jesus given the interpretation of the mystery, or has He only interpreted half the mystery and left the other half for us to decide? All seem to agree that the interpretation of churches is churches. Yet perhaps only a minority accept that Jesus’s interpretation of stars as angels actually means the stars are angels. Some may accept angels on the surface. But rather than understanding angels as the spiritual beings we most commonly think of when we hear the word, they interpret them in regard to the basic meaning of the term -- a messenger. 

I believe the stars are angels:

1. Because of the interpretation of Jesus. If the stars are not angels, but rather pastors, that leaves the interpretation provided by our Lord as no interpretation or explanation at all. Stars are angels. Candlesticks are churches. The mystery is revealed. Or not?

2. Because the most common use of “angel” (Gk. angelos) means angelic/spiritual beings, ministering spirits. According a search engine I consulted (if done correctly), angel or angels occur 75 times in the KJV English version of the book of Revelation. 67 occurrences clearly refer to angelic beings. If 1:20, 2:1,8,12,18, 3:1,7,14 do not refer to angelic beings, they are exceptions to the rule throughout the book. Chapter 1 opens with an angel who is an angel. Chapters 2-3 do not clearly indicate any reason for a difference from the other usage throughout the book. The following chapters continually portray angels who are angels. It is unlikely that angel differs only in chapters 2-3, with no explanation. Everywhere in the book of Revelation the angels are angels.

3. Because the stars who are angels in Rev. 12: 3-9 are angelic spirit beings, not human beings. The dragon drew a third of the stars of heaven, verse 4. In verses 7 through 9 we find that the dragon is the Devil, and the stars are angels!

I do not believe the stars are angels who are angels who are pastors:

1. Because the interpretation breaks down. Rather than following the interpretation given by the Lord himself, one must continue on to reinterpret it. Jesus says the stars are angels. Men say the stars are pastors who are only called angels. If pastors are called angels here, we find no confirmation of it elsewhere in the Scriptures. Pastors/elders/bishops are not called angels in the Bible.

2. If the angels are pastors, the greetings/salutations of the letters to the seven churches of Asia are inconsistent with the greetings of other church letters found in the New Testament. No other New Testament church letter was written to the pastor alone. Rather, they were written to the church, i.e., the entire local congregation of saints in a particular place. Compare some of the salutations given by Paul in his letters: 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 1 Corinthians 1:1-2; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Colossians 1:1; Ephesians 1:1; and Philippians 1:1.

3. If the angels are single pastors the condition of these churches in Revelation is not consistent with the rest of the New Testament praxis. In Acts 20, for example, the church at Ephesus had several overseers/elders: Acts 20:17 “And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.” They were preaching/teaching elders: Acts 20:28 “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” During these days, there was a plurality of elders in every church (Acts 14:23). These elders were bishops, or overseers. Local assemblies in the Bible are consistently portrayed as led by elders, plural.

The popularity of the angel=pastor interpretation may arise for two main reasons: 1). The angels as pastors just “makes sense”. Why would God send the message to the church to an angel? When Jesus’s simple explanation of Rev. 1:20 finds hard ground, it is carried away and another substituted for it. 2). Familiarity and commonality breeds popularity. It is the interpretation we hear most; it is the interpretation we are taught. It “makes senses” and isn’t challenged, so why should we seek another interpretation?

Does it make any sense that the Lord would address the letter to the church to “the angel”? Does it matter whether it does? The Lord said the stars are angels. The star is the symbol. The angel is the interpretation. Perhaps there is a lesson here to accept what the Lord says at face value even if it doesn’t “make sense”!