Are there such things as angels? There surely are! The Bible tells us about them in many places. Psalm 103:20,2120Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. 21Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. (Psalm 103:20‑21) tells us that angels are very strong and they do what the Lord Jesus tells them to do: “Bless the Lord, ye His angels, that excel in strength, that do His commandments, hearkening [listening] unto the voice of His word . . . that do His pleasure.”
Hebrews 1:1414Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? (Hebrews 1:14) tells us more. It says that angels are all “ministering spirits, sent forth to minister [to serve] for them who shall be heirs of salvation.” They help those who belong to the Lord Jesus. Here is a story about a missionary who believes he was specially helped by an angel of the Lord.
Mr. Smith was a missionary in the country of Bolivia in South America. He had come to tell the Inca Indians the good news of the love of God. He worked hard to learn the Spanish language so he could talk with the people. He also passed out Spanish gospel tracts so that the people could read for themselves about God’s love and His plan of salvation. But Mr. Smith and his message were not liked by the people and their religious leaders. They disliked him so much that often his life was in danger.
One morning just after he had finished passing out many gospel tracts, a large, angry mob of people followed him, yelling, “Kill him! Do away with him! Get rid of him!”
Mr. Smith continued walking and praying to the Lord Jesus to protect him. He was doing what God tells us to do when we are in any trouble: “Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee.” Psalm 50:1515And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. (Psalm 50:15).
The angry mob followed him down the street, and some picked up stones to throw at him.
Just ahead was a pile of stones ready to be used for a new building, and Mr. Smith was afraid the pile of stones would be used to throw at him. But just then a little blond-haired boy came across the street and threw his little arms around Mr. Smith. The little boy looked up at him with loving blue eyes as if to say, “Don’t be afraid!”
The missionary was so surprised to see such a blond-haired boy in a country where everyone has dark hair! He gently stroked the little boy’s head and spoke lovingly to him.
Suddenly the mob stopped and quit their shouting. Then someone was heard saying, “Leave him alone; he must be a good man. See how he loves that little boy!” Dropping their stones, the crowd left, and Mr. Smith was left alone with his little blond-haired friend. Soon after, the boy crossed the street and was gone.
Although Mr. Smith purposely went that way every day to see if he could see the boy again, he never did. He came to the conclusion that the little boy had been an angel of the Lord, sent in answer to his prayer. “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.” Psalm 34:77The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. (Psalm 34:7). And he certainly had been delivered from that angry mob.
It is wonderful to belong to the Lord Jesus and to know that you can count on Him to protect you. The Bible is filled with many stories of the Lord Jesus protecting and delivering His own, sometimes using angels. The well-known story of Daniel in the lions’ den is one example.
Another wonderful example is in Acts 12. Peter, who was God’s servant, was thrown in prison with 16 soldiers guarding him in shifts. He was bound with two chains and sleeping between two of the soldiers when an angel of God came and delivered him. “And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon [Peter], 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. And the angel said unto him, [Dress] thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he said unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. And he went out, and followed him; and [knew] not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of [its] own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and . . . the angel departed from him.” Acts 12:7-107And, 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. 8And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. 9And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. 10When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him. (Acts 12:7‑10).
When the Lord Jesus was about to be crucified and His disciples wanted to fight to save Him, the Lord Jesus told them, “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He shall presently give Me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?” Matthew 26:53,5453Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? 54But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? (Matthew 26:53‑54). It was the will of God that the Lord Jesus should die for our sins, and so He was not delivered; He went all the way to the cross. “He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:88And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:8). He could easily have gotten away from those wicked men who hated Him, but He did not.
“Himself He could not save,
He on the cross must die,
Or mercy cannot come
To ruined sinners nigh,
Yes, Christ the Son of God must bleed
That sinners might from sin be freed!
“Himself He could not save,
Love’s stream too deeply flowed,
In love Himself He gave
To pay the debt we owed.
Obedience to His Father’s will
And love to Him did all fulfill.”
Won’t you trust in the Lord Jesus, and accept with joy this provision that God has made for you to have your sins removed?
ML-08/14/1994