Angels! Angels! Angels! (12/27/13)

I have a large nativity display that is placed to catch your eye when you enter my front door. The characters of the story are set. There’s not much that I can add to this scene each year.  I can add more animals and angels. I want to keep adding angels to create a ‘heavenly host’.  Some of my angels are cute and childlike in appearance. Others have a more regal bearing and are playing instruments. Some are even ornaments that I hang on the wall behind the nativity scene. The Christmas story tells us that the sky was filled with angels singing praises to the newborn babe.

 As I look at my nativity scene I consider the simplicity of that birth in a lonely cave in Bethlehem. The King of Kings, who is over the universe, came in quietness and poverty to become our Savior. The only fanfare that he received in Bethlehem that night was an announcement by the angels to shepherds watching their flocks.

 (Luke 2: 10–12 ESV) Suddenly the angels were singing high praises to God. “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.” (Luke 2:14 ESV) It is almost as if the shepherds were given a glimpse of a praise party the angels were throwing.  

I find three primary purposes in Scripture for the presence of angels in the earth.

The first is the role of a messenger.  Angels appear with messages throughout the Old and New Testaments.  Some messages are announcements of births.  Examples of these are Abraham, (concerning Isaac) Zachariah, (concerning John) and both Mary and Joseph, (concerning Jesus).  Others, as with Lot, are the relaying of directions from the Lord.  As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city.”  (Genesis 19:15 ESV) Still others are to bring encouragement, as in the case of Gideon.  And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.” (Judges 6:12 ESV) Are you listening for a message God may have for you?

 The second role is as a worshiper of God almighty.  “All heaven will praise your great wonders, Lord; myriads of angels will praise you for your faithfulness.”  (Psalm 89:5 ESV)  And one cried to another and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory! (Isaiah 6:3 AMP) Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” (Revelation 5:11-12 ESV) “And when he brought his supreme Son into the world, God said, “Let all of God’s angels worship him.”  (Hebrews 1:6 ESV) These are only a few of the many examples that run through the Bible from Old Testament to New.  

 The third purpose we find in Scripture is to carry out God’s will.  Praise the Lord, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands. Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels who serve him and do his will! (Psalm 1003:20-21 ESV) This can take many forms including protection “For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.” (Psalm 91:11 ESV) Before entering the Promised Land the Lord told Moses, “Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. (Exodus 23:20 ESV) Angels are obedient servants, waiting to be sent for God’s glory.

 The response of the shepherds to the announcement of the angels that night was to find out more.  When the angels disappeared, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”  (Luke 2:15 ESV) Our response to any of the work of angels in our lives should be the same.  Angels always point us back to Jesus Christ.  We may be receiving a message from the Father through them, joining in on their praise party, or experiencing the protection of their warfare.  Whatever the interaction may be, it should always lead us longingly back to the God we serve and the salvation He offers.