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What jobs do angels do?
The Bible says that angels serve Christians.
Hebrews 1:13-14 And to which of the angels has he ever said, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet"? (14) Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? But specifically, what are some of the jobs that angels perform? They protect God's people from physical harm Psalms 91:9-13 Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place-- the Most High, who is my refuge-- (10) no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. (11) For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. (12) On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. (13) You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
This beautiful psalm tells us that God has assigned the angels the job of physically following and carefully watching over the Lord's people. Perhaps the psalmist was writing about an upcoming battle as one of "the evils" that could befall him. But the terrors of evil are not specifically mentioned, leaving the interpretation open to a great variety of situations where God's protection is needed. Nothing can harm a believer without God permitting it to occur in his sovereign control over all things. When things occur that we put into "Category Bad", God uses these mishaps for our good (Romans 8:28-29). Recall the angels that were working to protect Elisha and his servant… 2 Kings 6:15-17 When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" (16) He said, "Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." (17) Then Elisha prayed and said, "O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see." So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
The Lord has assigned angels to watch over his children as well. He doesn't say that there is a one-to-one relationship with each believer having exactly one guardian angel, but rather that, in general, the angels are always attentive to the needs and cries of God's children. 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. Peter was rescued by an angel from prison (Acts 5:19). Daniel was preserved from physical harm in the Lion's Den by an angel (Daniel 6:22). Hagar was given food when near death (Genesis 21:17-20). Angels also carry messages from God Paul was comforted by an angel on the night before his shipwreck (Acts 27:23-24). An angel directed Joseph to flee to Egypt (Matthew 2:13-20). Daniel and John each received their revelations from angels that come to us today in the Book of Daniel and The Revelation of Jesus Christ. Angels carry believers to heaven Luke 16:22 says that Lazarus, the beggar, was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The angels will gather God's elect from the four corners of the earth when Christ returns to set up his kingdom (Matthew 24:31). Shad David Sluiter
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