“The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him” (Psalm 34:7-8).
You will never have to convince Josh Dennis that angels are real. He learned that fact, first-hand. It all started when he got separated from the Boy Scouts that were there exploring Hidden Treasure Mines. When Josh got lost, people expected he would be found in just a matter of hours. But long hours turned into days. What rescuers had not counted on was the treachery of the drop-offs; the hidden pockets of darkness with floors of deep water.
Now, Josh is from a Christian family. Only days before his ordeal, Josh and his mother had been talking and the lad said, “If you have faith, you can do anything.” Disagreeing, his mother said, “You can do almost anything. “No,” said Josh, “you can do anything.” In the darkness of the cave, Josh, then ten years old, prayed and prayed and prayed. Then he heard a voice saying he was not to worry, he would be found.
When search efforts had been unsuccessful, and authorities were on the brink of giving up, John Skinner, who five times had been denied the opportunity to help, was finally allowed to go into the abandoned mine. Within thirty minutes, he had found Josh.
When Josh was discovered, men who had not shed a tear for years wept openly. But Josh took things in stride. “The angels comforted me,” he said. “I knew I would be found.”
Scores of people today make light of supernatural beings described as angels, but those who have experienced their reality never take them lightly.
Almost 300 times, angels are mentioned in the Bible. There is nothing whatsoever in this book to suggest that their work does not continue today. To the contrary, the writer of Hebrews, says that they are supernatural beings sent forth to minister to those who are heirs of salvation (See Hebrews 1:14).
In our day, the world has rediscovered the power of Satan. In fact, groups which describe themselves as Satanist Churches, meet in almost every major city in the world. They dedicated themselves to the worship of this fallen prince, yet when Christians mention angels, some think they are extremists who visualize things that don’t really exist.
What does the Bible say about angels? Plenty. Try these facts for starters. Angels are spoken of as “ministering spirits” (Hebrews 1:14). They are created beings (Colossians 1:16). They are without number (Hebrews 12:22). They differ from humans, in that they are not subject to the laws of matter (Acts 12:7). Apparently, there are different ranks or orders of angels (Colossians 1:16, Daniel 10:12-21), and they are far more intelligent than humans (2 Samuel 14:20).
Both the Old and New Testaments speak of angels as having great power. A single angel killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in a single night, something which seemingly is confirmed by archaeological discoveries. An angel rolled back the massive gravestone at the resurrection. Another angel delivered Peter from prison.
Because they are generally invisible, most people dismiss their presence, but I for one am convinced that angels intervene on behalf of God’s people far more than we have any idea. As the Psalmist put it long ago: “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him” (Psalm 34:7-8).
Should we worship or pray to angels? No, in both cases. They do God’s bidding, but a Father who cares for His children takes care of them, and us too. Of that, you can be very, very certain. The Bible reminds us to entertain strangers because some have thereby entertained angels unawares. Think about it!
Resource reading: Psalm 34.
