by Marilynn Chadwick
Have you ever wondered whether you’ve had an encounter with an angel? If so, you’re not alone. Over 80% of Americans believe in angels and over half feel sure they’ve been helped by an angel—even those who claim to be non-religious!
But how are we as Christians to understand these supernatural beings? With all the misguided fascination with angels, it’s important for us to rely only on Scripture for our understanding of these mysterious beings.
The Bible describes angels as “ministering spirits” sent to serve “those who will inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:14, NIV). If we have trusted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, God has assigned angels to carry out his will and minister to us. They’re always available to do God’s bidding, whether guiding, encouraging, and even protecting those of us “lined up to receive salvation” (Heb. 1:14 MSG).
In the Bible, angels delivered important messages from God, helped his people fight enemies, and announced the birth of Jesus. The word for “angel” in the original Bible languages—Hebrew and Greek—simply means “messenger.”
Sometimes these spiritual messengers take the form of humans, like the three angelic visitors who appeared to Abraham and Sara with a special message (Genesis 18:1-21).
Other times they appear in full glory, like with Elisha, his servant, and the mighty angel army. These heavenly warriors far outnumbered the approaching enemy! You must read it to believe it (2 Kings 6:15-17)!
Then in Revelation, the angel revealed the glorious message to the disciple John, who was so overcome by the awesome creature he fell face down at his feet. “Don’t worship me!” the angel told John. “Don’t worship me. I am a servant like you… Worship God!” (Revelation 22:9 ERV).
Angels often do their work in secret because they want to draw attention only to the Lord. God, not the angels, is always the star of the show. But the Bible clearly reveals how God uses angels to carry out his purposes on earth.
It’s possible that somewhere along the way, angels have ministered to us. Perhaps we experienced something unusual or unexplainable. Often in looking back, we may wonder whether we were assisted by an angel.
This week, I’ll share several experiences that have caused me to reflect on this possibility of entertaining angels. If you follow Jesus, I imagine you, too, have stories of your own. If Hebrews 1:14 is true, then angels have been sent by God to minister to us—and most of the time, we were completely unaware of their presence!