Angels
as Ministering Spirits
Angels reside as ministering
spirits. To whom do the angels
minister? Hebrews 1:14 states, “Are they
not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be
heirs of salvation? Angels
minister to those who are the heirs of salvation. Who are the heirs of salvation? The Church is the heirs of salvation. Therefore, angels minister to the
believers. They strengthen us and
encourage us. They compose that great
cloud of witness that the author of Hebrews wrote about.[1]Angels
also protect the believers from harm. Angels
not only minister to us, but they ministered to the Son of God.
Jesus just endured the temptations
of the devil in the wilderness and the angels arrive on the scene. What were these angels doing? They came to minister to the Son of God. Matthew 4:11 states, “Then the devil leaveth
him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.” The Son of God needed encouraged and
strengthen; how much more do we as Christians need to be encouraged and
strengthened? God strengthens us through
the Holy Ghost, but He also strengthens and encourages us through dispatching
His angels to us. Not only are angels sent to encourage us, but they also
protect us as already discussed in chapter seven. They work to aid us in the ministry because
they minister to the heirs of salvation.[2] While angels minister to believers in the
previously mentioned capacities, were angels over the seven churches of
Revelation 2 & 3?
Christ stated in Revelation 1:20, “The
mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven
golden candlesticks. The seven stars are
the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou
sawest are the seven churches.” What or
who are the angels of the churches? The Greek
word that the translators of the KJV translated “angels” is “aggelos.” As mentioned in chapter two, the Greek word
“aggelos” means “messenger.” Some
authors and theologians claim that the word “angel” in Revelation 1:20 denotes
an actual angel, one who is a guardian of the churches. More specifically, one angel guards one of
the seven churches. They base this
argument on the fact that one of the tasks of angels is to guard the
believers. However, the usage of the
term “angels of the churches” indicates an office not a nature.
What or who are these “angels of the
churches?” The “angels of the churches”
could not be reference to angels for several reasons. First, why would John be instructed of Christ
to write
to the angels of these churches? If God
wanted to deliver a message, He could deliver the message in one of two
ways. God could send the message to the
church via the Holy Ghost or He could send the message to the church via an
angel. But why did Christ instruct John
to write
the letter to the angels? Angels receive
their instructions from God and not man.
They aid ministers in the ministry but ministers do not command angels
to go and do this for them or go and deliver this message to this person. God is the heavenly Dispatcher of angels, not
man. Secondly, If John was writing to
angels, how were the angels of these seven churches supposed to receive the
letters? Were the angels anticipated to
appear unto John so that he could hand them the letter personally? Was someone supposed to deliver these
messages to the angels and, if so, where were they to take the letters to be
handed over to the angels? As one
investigates Revelation 1:20, Scripture implies that these seven angels were
not literal angels but rather God’s designated messengers to the churches.
Scripture implies that the “angels
of the seven churches” are the ministers of these churches.[3] It is appropriate that these angels are
symbolized by stars. Stars are known by
their luminosities in vast darkness. In
Matthew 5:14, Christ said, “Ye are the light of the world. A
city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.”
The Church is the light of the world.
We are the “messengers (aggelos)” of the Gospel of peace. Therefore, the angels of the seven churches
refer to the head minister—the pastor—or the head ministers (i.e. bishops,
deacons, etc.). These are the messengers
of the churches.
[1] Hebrews 12:1
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily
beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,”
[2]Hebrews
1:14 “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who
shall be heirs of salvation?”
[3]
Matthew 11:9-10 “But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto
you, and more than a prophet. 10 For
this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face,
which shall prepare thy way before thee.”
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