If you are like me you probably don't give a whole lot of thought to angels. Personally, there are other areas of theology that are more interesting to me. If I am honest, and obviously I am because I am a pastor, I believe other things have more relevance as well.
Angels are invisible, mostly, but they shouldn't be forgotten or ignored. We should also strive to come to a better understanding of them from Scripture. This leads me to my next point, which is this: Scripture talks about them which should tell us that God desires us to know something about them.
As I pressed into this topic a little bit more I realized I didn't have a great amount of knowledge about them. I mean, I know a few things. I know they are not made in the image of God but they are still intelligent and rational beings. They are servants and messengers from God. I know Satan is an angel and the leader of the demons who seek to destroy the works of God. I know angels guard and protect believers in Christ and are present with us even though we cannot see them (Psalm 91:11-12). I know we should not pray to angels nor do we become them after we die. I am aware that Hebrews 13:2 says we may encounter angels, which means that angels may inhabit a human. I know angels worship God and model what appropriate worship to God really looks like (Revelation 5:9-10). Angels form an army of God and fight against Satan in the unseen world (Revelation 12:7-8). I also know that God's plan of salvation does not apply to angels. Those angels who rebelled are not redeemable (see Jude 6 and 2 Peter 2:4) and we see that angels are almost jealous of the salvation that believers in Christ benefit from (1 Peter 1:12).
Alright, so I know a few things. I suppose my biggest area of weakness and deficiency of understanding relates to this question: why should angels matter to me and what should my relationship to them be? I know, that is two questions.
So why does it matter? Why does God want us to know about angels? What should my relationship to them be and what part of my conscientiousness should angels occupy? Here are three considerations:
#1 Angels should teach me how to worship God.
Interestingly, angels teach me that God is worthy to be worshipped even though they do not benefit from the blood of Jesus on the cross. This means that my worship of God should definitely include my thankfulness and gratitude to him for saving me from my sins. Yet, it should go well beyond this. God is glorious in himself. Even if he never redeemed anyone he would still be infinitely worthy of praise and worship for his excellence. I should learn to look to angels who praise God continuously and let them remind me that God's excellence and glory is manifest all around me and he is worthy to be worshipped in it all!
#2 Angels should give me a deeper appreciation for the love of God.
Why would God create two beings who were intelligent and rational and only one of the two beings are made in his image and only one of the two beings have the opportunity to be saved from their sins? Look at what Jude 6 says:
And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day.
It would be reasonable and right for God to do the same with humans who rebelled against him, right? He would have been justified to keep sinners in eternal chains until the judgement day and then be separated finally and eternally. God doesn't do this. He offers salvation to those who, in like manner, rebelled against Him. Instead of chains, we get a cross and an opportunity to respond to it by faith so we don't have to spend eternity in gloomy darkness but with Christ and in his glory forevermore!
Amazing love, how can it be that thou my God should die for me?
Oh, and by the way, 1 Peter 1:12 tell us that we benefit from a salvation that angels "long to look into." Angels teach me how unique it is to be made in the image of God. They are like a child sneaking into a sporting event and squirming their way through the crowd if only they can catch a few glimpses of the action. Angels help me to see just how sacred the salvation is that we benefit from and the intimacy of relationship that God intends to have with us as he seeks our reconciliation to him through Christ.
Oh, and by the way, 1 Peter 1:12 tell us that we benefit from a salvation that angels "long to look into." Angels teach me how unique it is to be made in the image of God. They are like a child sneaking into a sporting event and squirming their way through the crowd if only they can catch a few glimpses of the action. Angels help me to see just how sacred the salvation is that we benefit from and the intimacy of relationship that God intends to have with us as he seeks our reconciliation to him through Christ.
#3 Angels should teach me to highly honor other believers in Christ.
I should start off by giving credit to John Piper for this point. I read an article of his titled The Surprising Role of Guardian Angels.
Here is a passage that Piper looks at from Matthew 18:10.
See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.”
See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.”
First, "little ones" refers to any believer who requires childlike faith to be a Christian. Hence, these "little ones." Second, believers have multiple angels surrounding them ("their angels") although we don't know how many. Third, these angels that are surrounding believers also see the face of God in heaven.
At this point my mind takes a predictable path. I venture on towards finding comfort in having angels who are encamping around me (Psalm 34:7). This is where John Piper does his thing and and says something to the tune of "thats not what this passage is about!" He asks a provocative question: should I really be that comforted by angels? What Piper (can I call him Pipe-dawg?) implies is this: angels shouldn't give us more comfort than the almighty, all-powerful, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient God who loves us and sovereignly controls all things after the counsel of his own will and works all things together for good to those who love him. Angels are created beings...they are not more powerful than God.
Wow. Good point! So then, why should knowing that believers have an "entourage" of angels matter to me, if not for comfort in protection?
Here is what Piper says:
“When you see this entourage... it is a reminder of what it is like to be the king’s son...they [angels] have a rank and dignity corresponding to direct access to God”
In other words, the entourage that Piper is talking about is the surrounding of angels around every believer. What Jesus is saying is that even the lowliest and most unimpressive disciple of Christ is a child of the king and we know this because they are surrounded by an entourage of angels who see the face of God. Like a powerful ruler walks around with an impressive entourage of bodyguards and therefore they are respected, so every believer also has such by the angels of God. Even more, the entourage of angels surrounding every believer has direct access to God. The logic here suggest that the dignity of the person is connected to the nature of those surrounding them. Since the angels are in the presence of God, the glorious God, those they surround should be highly, and I repeat, highly respected.
There you have it. Knowing there are surrounding angels isn't about, at least in this passage, feeling protected. It has to do with how believers should treat one another knowing they have such an impressive cadre around them. Believers should treat each other like royalty because, well, that is what they are. They have angels surrounding them that see the face of God. My relationship to angels should therefore translate into treating believers, even the most unimpressive ones by earthly standards, into the royal sons and daughters under King Jesus that they are.
Blessings to you in Christ,
Pastor Kevin
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