I. An Innumerable Company of Angels
Hebrews 12
vs. 22 But ye are come to mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
vs. 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and the spirits of just men made perfect,
vs. 24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
We should be thankful for the blood of Jesus. Old Testament saints lived their lives looking forward to it and we look back to it. The blood of Jesus Christ has not only removed all sins, it has also removed the consciousness of sin. No longer are we held accountable for the sins before we got saved. Every time we confess a sin after we are saved, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us.
Notice, verse 22 says we are come to an “innumerable company of angels”.
II. The Increased Activity of Angels
Since the time of the Old Testament, the ministry of angels has increased. Hebrews 1:14 says of angels, “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”
God has not created more angels, however, their activity has increased. Under the old covenant their ministry was limited but under the new covenant, the angels are assigned to protect every individual who is born again.
III. The Ministry of Angels Surrounding Jesus
At the beginning of the book of Matthew, angels are present. At the closing of the four Gospels, angels are also present. As Jesus was resurrected into heaven, there were thousands of angels surrounding Him.
Psalm 68
vs. 17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.
vs. 18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them.
Of the thousands of angels that surrounded Jesus as He ascended to heaven, two remained on earth and instructed the disciples to go to the upper room to wait for the coming Holy Spirit.
These verses are referring to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the beginning of the Church age on the day of Pentecost. But it also refers to the fact that Jesus was resurrected before that event. On Pentecost, gifts were given to men, the Spirit of God was poured out, and God came on that day with the Holy Spirit to turn rebellious people into children of God.
But notice what the disciples could not see as Jesus was taken into heaven. Jesus was received into heaven by thousands and thousands of angels in chariots!
Acts 1
vs. 9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
In verse 8, Jesus had instructed the disciples to go Jerusalem to wait for the Holy Spirit. And after Jesus had shared these things with the disciples, verse 9 tells us that a “cloud received him out of their sight”. That cloud was the glory cloud. There were thousands of angels accompanying Him and they surrounded Him like a cloud!
IV. Angels at the Beginning of the Church Age
vs. 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
vs. 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
The angels were saying, “Yes, Jesus is gone, but He will return. Until then, you have things to do.” The ministry of the Church began with angels and the ministry of the Church leaving this earth will end with angels. Jesus had told the disciples to go to the upper room and wait for the Holy Spirit and when the angels asked, “Why stand ye gazing up into heaven?” they were in essence saying, “You’ve got a job to do. You better get busy doing it!”
The angels were ready for their new assignment. They were ready to go into battle. They were ready for the disciples to be obedient to the Spirit of God. The angels would be there for divine protection.
Today, angels are waiting to minister in our behalf, but usually they are waiting on us. They are not waiting for us to sit down and do nothing. Unfortunately, there are many Christians today who have bored angels. Their angels have nothing to do because these people will not do anything for the kingdom of God. But when we are doing things for the kingdom of God, we keep our angels busy!
Each day we should wake up asking the Lord, “What can I do for you today, Lord?” When we do, our angels are standing beside us saying, “Praise God! Today we will have something to do!”
VI. Angels at the End of the Church Age
First Thessalonians 4:16 says, “He shall descend from heaven with a shout and with the voice of the archangel.”
When Jesus comes back at the rapture of the Church, I believe in addition to the archangel, there will be thousands of angels with Him. Just as Jesus was accompanied into heaven by a multitude of angels, I believe as the trumpet is blowing on that day, a myriad of angels will accompany us right into the throne room of God.
This is also true for every individual in the Church age who goes on to be with the Lord. The moment we were born, an angel was assigned to us. Every young child has an angel that ever beholds the face of the Father. The moment a believer leaves this earth to be with the Lord, they are taken up into heaven by a number of angels.
When Lazarus died and went to be with the Lord, the angels accompanied him into Abraham’s bosom. I believe that not only do angels escort us, but also Jesus personally comes back to escort us to heaven.
Many who have died and gone on to be with the Lord have described relatives that have gone on before and they often describe angels, large angels. In fact, many times the angels are so real to them they cannot understand why we cannot see them. But they are actually in a transition between this life and next, between heaven and earth, time and eternity. Their eyes are seeing clearly into both realms, the natural and the spiritual.
You may wonder why we need so many angels for protection. It is because there are so many demons that try to attack us. Psalm 91 tells us that the angels have been sent to protect us so no evil can befall us and no plague can come nigh our dwelling. They will protect us so that we do not dash our foot against a stone.
VII. The Ministry of Angels and Deliverance
Throughout the book of Acts, we learn what angels can do for us. The people mentioned in the book of Acts were not super heroes. They were people who were born under natural circumstances, faced with the same temptations as we are today. They are people who failed and floundered but got back up and kept going. The ministry of angels in their lives really speaks to us today, because the book of Acts is where the Church age began.
The first occurrence of angels after the Day of Pentecost, is described in Acts 5:17. Some of the chief leaders of the Church had been persecuted and put in prison because in Acts chapter 4 they were threatened and commanded never to preach again in the name of Jesus. Their response was, “If we must choose between you and God, we choose God.” The Bible says that as soon as they were released, they went back to “their own company”. Their own company would be their own congregation, their own friends who knew Jesus, were filled with the Holy Spirit, and knew how to pray.
When they returned, the Bible says they all lifted up their voice in one accord and said, “Lord, this has happened before. David prophesied of it in Psalm 2, and Lord, we are lifting up our hands, rejoicing that we had an opportunity to suffer for Jesus.” At that moment, the Bible says, the building where they were assembled was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. The disciples went on to preach the Word with more boldness than ever before.
In chapter five of Acts, Peter and John were again thrown in prison for preaching the Word of God.
Acts 5
vs. 17 Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation,
vs. 18 And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.
vs. 19 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,
vs. 20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
Notice, the angel did not say, “Hey guys, I’m getting tired of this. Please don’t preach anymore.” Instead, the angel said, “Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.” The angel was speaking of the life of Jesus, the life of the new birth, the life of being Spirit-filled.
The angels were delivered from prison by an angel. If the angels delivered the apostles from prison, we do not need to be in fear about anything. The disciples were not afraid of what the people thought of them. Even though they ended back in jail for preaching the gospel, when the angel delivered them he told them to get right back out and preach again.
When we are in trouble for the sake of the gospel, the angels are present to deliver us out of that trouble. Jail cannot defeat us and chains cannot defeat us. If necessary, the angels of God will deliver us from them!
The second time we find the ministry of angels after the Day of Pentecost is in Acts 8:26. Philip had just preached the gospel in the city of Samaria.
Acts 8
vs. 26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
vs. 27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship.
The second time the ministry of angels is mentioned after the Day of Pentecost is in Acts 8:26. Philip had just preached the gospel in the city of Samaria. An angel appeared to him and gave him guidance.
Angels know how to lead and guide us. Not only do we receive guidance from the Holy Spirit, angels can bring a message that will help to guide us. God sent an angel to Philip, a servant of the Lord. He was simply a deacon in the church, someone who helped serve other believers in the church. He wasn’t born into royalty. He was not one of the twelve disciples. He was simply a believer in the church who was faithful. An angel appeared and gave direction to a Christian who was faithfully serving the Lord!
The same angels that ministered in Philip’s day minister to us today. When you are seeking guidance, God can choose to guide you by one of His angels.
IX. Angels Give Instruction
There are many appearances of angels in the book of Acts. It seems once the Church began, angels had many more demands because of all that God intended for the Church to accomplish.
In Acts 10:3-6, not only was guidance given, instruction was also given. Cornelius was a Gentile man who was earnestly seeking after God. An angel came to him in a vision giving him instruction and admonishing him that his prayers had been heard in heaven. God sent this angel with instructions for Cornelius. He told Cornelius to send for a man named Peter, who was in Joppa. The angel also told Cornelius that Peter would come. This angel gave Cornelius more than guidance; he actually told Peter what was going to happen. Peter did come, preached the gospel, and Cornelius and his entire household believed and were filled with the Holy Spirit.
X. Angels and Prayer
The first half of Acts, chapter 12 recounts the fact that Peter was in prison and the church was praying for him. This story reveals that angels are great stewards over intercessory prayer. There are numerous instances in the Word of God when an individual or group of believers prayed and angels were sent to minister the answer to those prayers. Whether it was Abraham praying for Lot or Daniel interceding for the future of his nation, angels respond to prayer.
In Acts 12, the church was praying at the house of Mary. While they were praying, an angel came and delivered Peter from prison. Peter was sleeping and the angel awakened him. Peter was bound in chains and the angel broke off the chains. The angel instructed Peter to put on his shoes and coat. The angle then opened the prison door that had been chained and locked. The next set of doors was also opened and Peter found himself on the street. At that moment, the angel disappeared.
XI. Supernatural Deliverance
Whether or not we see them, angels are present to supernaturally deliver us. Just as Peter was delivered from a physical prison, bars cannot keep us from God’s delivering power, which often comes through angels. In this particular instance, Peter’s bondage was a prison cell, with physical bars and he was bound with physical chains. But today, many people are bound with chains of oppression, chains of lust, and chains of the sins of this world. Oftentimes, when a person prays for deliverance, an angel is sent to break the chains that are holding them captive.
XII. Angels and Praise and Worship
Angels also respond to praise and worship. The moment we begin to lift our hands to worship the Lord, angels are there to break those chains. I believe when we praise and worship the Lord in the midst of trials and temptations, angels go to battle with the demons around us and prevail.
Acts 12:21-23 recounts a time when Herod stood pridefully before the people, declared himself to be a god, and immediately was struck dead by an angel. The Bible says he was smitten with worms and died. The angel was sent to bring judgment to Herod.
IX. Angels and the Word of Knowledge
In Acts 27, Paul was given a word of knowledge by an angel. Paul was a prisoner on board a ship that was caught in a terrible storm, which lasted many days. During the storm, and angel appeared to Paul and told him that not one man’s life would be lost.
I believe often there are times when we are seeking God and worshipping Him that the gifts of the Spirit will be brought to us by an angel; word of knowledge or word of wisdom in the midst of a circumstance, the gift of healing or working of miracles.
XV. Angels and Healing
According to the Bible, angels have the ministry of bringing God’s healing power into the earth. John chapter 5 recounts how people desiring healing in their bodies would lay by the pool of Bethesda waiting for an angel to stir up the water. Angels are connected to the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit. We may sense the presence of the Holy Spirit in a church service but I believe that what we are sensing can often be the tangible presence of angels.
XVI. Angles and the Rebuke
In the book of Jude, we learn something very interesting about the ministry of angels.
Jude
vs. 9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
Even though Michael was an archangel and one of the higher ranking angels, he did not bring a railing accusation against Satan. He simply said, “The Lord rebuke you”.
When we come against Satan it is not us coming against him, it is us in the name of Jesus, coming against him. We do not come against Satan in our own strength or with our own words. Even an angel, superior to us until we receive our resurrection bodies, would not come against Satan except in the name of Jesus.
The name of Jesus is so vital and we need to use that name in all we do. Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatsoever ye do in word of deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
XVII. Angels Can Bring Destruction
The book of Revelation is filled with the power of angels to bring destruction against the camp of the enemy and those in this world who reject the Lord.
In Revelation 1:1, an angel brought the message of the book of Revelation to John. An angel delivered the entire book to him. This angel accompanied John into heaven and revealed end time events to him.
In Revelation 7:2, also in chapters 8 and 16, angels delivered the wrath of God to the earth. There are many other recorded instances in the book of Revelation. Again, angels will bring the wrath of God to this earth.
XVIII. Angels Deliver the Prayers of the Saints to Heaven
Revelation 8
vs. 3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
vs. 4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand.
Angels deliver the prayers of the saints into heaven. At the same time the wrath of God is being delivered by angels into the earth, angels are delivering the prayers of the saints.
When we pray, angels can deliver those prayers right into the presence of God. In Acts chapter 10, an angel told Cornelius, “Your prayers and alms have come up for a memorial before God.” Angelic beings delivered his prayers and offerings before God and an angel brought a message back to Cornelius.
XIX. Angels Will Preach
Revelation 14
vs. 6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.
In Revelation 14:6, the Bible also reveals that angels will preach the gospel during the Tribulation. This is something that has never occurred.
XX. The Power of Angels
We must not underestimate the power of angels. If one angel will throw Satan into the bottomless pit, and an innumerable company of angels surrounds us, just imagine how much our angels can do for us! Often, Christians give more credence to what Satan is doing in their lives than what God is doing!
One angel with us is more powerful than Satan. As believers, we are more powerful than Satan. The Bible says, “I will build My Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it!” We are more powerful through the name of Jesus and the blood of the new birth. In addition, angels surround us!
Again, just one angel will throw Satan into the bottomless pit for a thousand years and one angel will throw him into the lake of fire forever!
Angels have been with us since birth and we need to increase in our awareness of them in our daily lives. Angels will accompany us to heaven either when we die or when we are raptured at the Second Coming of Jesus.
Just as believers are anticipating the Second Advent of Jesus Christ, so are the angels. When that day arrives, not only will we hear a shout from heaven and the voice of an archangel, we will hear a shout from the eternities of one end of heaven to the other as angels rejoice at the coming of Jesus Christ for His Church.
We cannot lose! We do not need to fear the future. If God be for us, who can be against us. Why should we fear what man might do if we are empowered by the Holy Spirit of God and surrounded by an innumerable company of angel?
