I. The Existence of Angels
A.. The Bible assumes their existence.
1. 34 books (of 66 total) refer to angels.
2. Christ taught their existence (Matt.8:10; 24:31; 26:53 etc.).
B. The Bible describes their creation.
1. Angels were created by God (Ps.148:2,5; Col.1:16). Only God had no beginning (1 Tim.6:16).
2. Angels were created before the world and man (Job 38:6,7).
3. Angels were created holy (Ezek.28:15; Jude 6).
II. The Nature of Angels
A. Angels are personal beings.
1. They have intellect (Matt.28:5; 1 Pet.1:12).
2. They have emotions (Job 38:7; Luke 2:13; 15:10)
3. They have will (Jude 6).
B. Angels are spirit beings.
1. They exist as spirits ? not with material bodies (Heb. 1:14).
a. An angel can be in only one place at one time (Dan.9:21-23; 10:10-14)
b. Although they are spirit beings, they can appear in the form of men (in dreams ? Matt.1:20; in natural sight with human functions ? Gen.18: 1-8; 22: 19:1; seen by some and not others ? 2 Kings 6:15-17).
2. They cannot reproduce (Mark 12:25).
3. They do not die (Luke 20:36).
C. Angels have communicable attributes in a degree greater than man but less than God.
1. They have more knowledge than man (Matt.24:31; Luke 1:13-16) but less than God (Matt.24:36).
2. They have more power than man (2 Pet.2:11; acts 5:19) but less than God.
D. Angels are organized and ranked. One ?archangel,? Michael is named (Jude 9). There are also ?chief princes? (Dan.10:13), ?seraphim? (Is.6:1-3) and ?cherubim? (Gen.3:22-24).
III. The Ministries of Angels
A. They worship God. Angels are continually involved in praising God (Rev.4:6-11) through describing His attributes (Is.6:3) and singing praises (Rev.5:8,9).
B. They ministered to Christ. Angels announced His birth (Luke 1:26-33; 2:13), protected Him (Matt.2:13), strengthened Him (Matt.4:11; Luke 22:43), and explained to men His resurrection (Matt.28:6) and ascension (Acts 1:10,11).
C. They carry out God?s government. Angels are God?s servants (Ps.103:20; Heb.1:7) and messengers (Luke 1:19; 2:8-14). They can be involved in controlling nature (Rev.7:1; 16:3,8,9), nations (2 Kings 19:35), and Satan and demons (Dan.10:13,21; 12:1). They will perform future judgment for God (Matt.13:3a; Rev.15:1; 16:1-21).
D. They protect God?s people. Angels are sent to serve believers (Heb.1:14). They protect the godly (Ps.34:7; Dan.6:20,23), oppose our enemies (Ps.35:4,5) and are specifically assigned as guardians of individuals (Matt.18:10). They are God?s agents in answering prayer (Acts 12:7) even bringing physical provisions (Gen.21:17-20; 1 Kings 19:5-7).
E. They assist believers at death (Luke 16:22; Jude 9).
IV. We have guardian angels:
A)Psalm 91:11-
"For he will command his angels over you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands so you dont strike your foot against a stone"
B)"See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in Heaven." (Mat 18:10)
C)"Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it." (Heb 13:2)
