What Do Angels Do on Earth?
Written By: Linda Stover
By definition, the word, angel is: Aggelos: messenger, to bring a message, announce, proclaim. From this definition and the Scriptures that talk of them, we can get an idea of their work on earth on behalf of mankind. From the following Biblical references we find they do a variety of things: Rescue, Guard, Keep, Protect, Bring us messages from God, Fight our Battles, Carry out God’s Desires.
They Serve Us: Hebrews 1:13-14“But to what angel has He ever said, ‘Sit at my right hand, till I make they enemies a stool for they feet’? Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation?” A marvelous Scripture that tells us in a nutshell the whole purpose of angels on earth: They are spiritual beings sent by God to minister to those who will inherit salvation. That means they are here for everyone on earth, because salvation is for everyone. God is so intent upon the salvation of mankind he even sends angelic beings to work toward that end!
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I believe the ultimate purpose of angelic activity in the life of an unbeliever is to point that person toward Christ. To that end, they protect, defend, instruct and guide us. After we have come to accept Christ; turn away from our sins; and begin to live for Him, their work for us continues and increases to the extent we trust in and rely on the Heavenly Father. The passage from Psalm 91 seems to substantiate this. The Psalm begins by identifying his audience: those who trust in God. Take a moment to read the entire Psalm. When you trust in and rely on our Heavenly Father, His holy angels defend and preserve you. Evil cannot conquer them. When necessary, they will turn your steps out of the way of danger.
They Feed Us: 1st Kings 19:5 “And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.” I will never forget the time when we were out of food and God sent us a fifty pound bag of potatoes.
They Deliver Us: Acts 5:17-21 “But the high priest rose up and all who were with him, that is, the party of the Sadducees, and filled with jealousy they arrested the apostles and put them in the common prison. But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out and said, ‘Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.’ And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and taught.”
They Give us Warning of Impending Danger: Genesis 19:15 “When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city.”
They Guard and Protect Us: Psalm 91:11-12 “For He will give His angels charge of you, to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” Psalm 34:7 “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them”
They Go Ahead to Prepare our Way: Exodus 33:2 “And I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.”
They Deliver God’s Message: Luke 1:11 “And the angel answered him, ‘I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak to you , and to bring you this good news.”
They Direct Us: Acts 8:26-29. “But an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ This is a desert road. And he rose and went. And behold, an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a minister of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of all her treasure, had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go up and join this chariot.’”
They Will be Instrumental in the Last Day Judgement of God: Matthew 13:41-42 “The Son of man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.”
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