Section 11

Life Only In Christ

Chapter 115.

The Ministration of
Good Angels

1. OF what family does Paul speak in Ephesians?
"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named." Eph. 3:14,15.

2. By what name are the members of this family called?
"Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord." Job 1:6. "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God." 1 John 3:1.

3. By what name are those composing the family in heaven commonly known to us?
"And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne." Rev. 5:11.

4. Did angels exist before the death of any of the human family?
"So He drove out the man; and He placed at the east of the garden of Eden cherubim." Gen. 3:24.

Cherub: "A creature of a sacred and celestial nature."-Gesenius.

5. Who witnessed the laying of the foundations of the earth?
"Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner-stone thereof; when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" Job 38:6,7.

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6. How many of these beings did John see around the throne?
"And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne; . . . and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands." Rev. 5:11.

7. What does Paul say of their number?
"But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels." Heb. 12:22. See also Dan. 7:10.

8. Are angels of a higher order of beings than man?
"Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels." Ps. 8:5.

NOTES.-There are different orders of angels: "Cherubim" (Gen. 3:24); "Seraphim" (Isa. 6:2,6); "Archangel" (1 Thess. 4:16; Jude 9).
Some of their names are: "Michael" (Dan. 10:13,21; 12:1; Jude 9); "Gabriel" (Dan. 8:16; 9:21; Luke 1:19); "Uriel" (2 Esdras [Apocrypha] 4:1,36; 5:20. See 1 Chron. 15:5); "Ariel" (doubtless of angelic origin. See Ezra 8:16).
Michael means, "Who is like God," and hence is a fit title for Christ. Gabriel signifies, "The strength of God," an appropriate name for the angel or being who stands next to Christ (Dan. 10:21). Uriel means, "The light of God;" Ariel, "The lion of God."

9. Is Christ ever called an angel?
"Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared." Ex. 23:20. See verse 23; Acts 7:38; and margin of 1 Cor. 10:4. "The Angel of His presence saved them." Isa. 63:9. "Michael the Archangel." Jude 9. See also Dan. 12:1; 1 Thess. 4:16.

NOTE.-Angel means messenger. In Mal. 3:1, Christ is called "the messenger of the covenant."

10. What is said of the strength and character of the angels?
"Bless the Lord, ye His angels, that excel in strength, that do His commandments, harkening unto the voice of His word." Ps. 103:20.

11. What description is given of Gabriel in Daniel?
"His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in color to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude." Dan. 10:6.

NOTE.-Similar descriptions are given of God, the "Ancient of days." in Dan. 7:9; and of Christ. "the Son of man." in Rev. 1:13-15.

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12. What was the appearance of the angel that rolled away the stone from the sepulcher at the resurrection of Christ?
"His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow." Matt. 28:3.

13. What shows that the angels sent to Abraham and Lot were real beings?
"And he [Abraham] took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat." " And he [Lot] made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat." Gen. 18:8; 19:3.

14. What reason does Paul give to encourage us to entertain strangers?
"Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." Heb. 13:2.

15. In his dream at Bethel, what did Jacob see?
"And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angls of God ascending and descending on it." Gen. 28:12.

16. To whose authority are the angels subject?
"Jesus Christ: who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him." 1 Peter 3:21, 22.

NOTE.-In Joshua 5:13-15, Christ is called "captain of the Lord's host."

17. In what work are angels engaged?
"Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? " Heb. 1:14.

18. What scripture indicates that each child of God has an accompanying angel?
"Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of My Father which is in heaven." Matt. 18:10.

NOTE.-Another has said: "Christians who live in the light of God's countenance are always accompanied by unseen angels, and these holy beings leave behind them a blessing in our homes."

19. How is their watch-care over God's people expressed?
"The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them." Ps. 34:7.

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20. By what means were the three Hebrews protected while in the fiery furnace?
"I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. . . . Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent His angel, and delivered His servants that trusted in Him." Dan. 3:25-28.

21. When cast into the lions' den, how did Daniel say he had been saved from death?
"My God hath sent His angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before Him innocency was found in me." Dan. 6:22.

22. When surrounded by the Syrian host, what did Elisha say, and for what did he pray, to encourage his frightened servant?
"And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha." 2 Kings 6:16,17.

23. What does the psalmist say of the chariots of God?
"The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels." Ps. 68:17.

24. By what means were the apostles delivered from prison?
"The angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth." Acts 5:19.

25. How was Peter delivered later?
"The angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. . . . And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. . . . They came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forth with the angel departed from him." Acts 12:7-10.

NOTE.-"What we call physical law is no obstruction to angelic ministrations. Bolts and bars and prison gates disappear at their volition, and dungeons like palaces shine in their presence. No place can be so dismal, no cavern so deep and dark, no Inquisition cell so hidden and fetid, no fortress so strongly guarded, that they cannot find quick and easy access, if a child of God is there."- "Footprints of Angels in Fields of Revelation," by E. A. Stockman, pages 74, 75.

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26. When Elijah was about to take a forty days' journey, how was he strengthened for it?
"And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God." 1 Kings 19:7,8.

27. After His forty days' fast and temptation in the wilderness, how was Christ strengthened?
"Then the devil leaveth Him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto Him." Matt. 4:11.

28. How was Christ strengthened while suffering in the garden of Gethsemane?
"And there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening Him." Luke 22:43.

29. Are the angels interested in the plan of salvation?
"Which things the angels desire to look into." 1 Peter 1:12.

30. Are they interested in the conversion of men? "Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." Luke 15:10.

31. Before whom are we said to speak?
"Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou
shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?" Eccl. 5:5,6.

32. For what must men give account in the judgment?
"But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." Matt. 12:36. See also Eccl. 12:13,14.

33. Out of what will they be judged?
"And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." Rev. 20:12.

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34. What shows that the actions of men are recorded?
"And the Lord harkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name." Mal. 3:16. See also Isa. 65:6; Jer. 2:22.

35. In the judgment how many angels minister before God?
"A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him: thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened." Dan. 7:10.

NOTE.-Since the angels are our ministering spirits, and our lives are open before them, it is reasonable to infer that they make the record of our lives. Then when the books are examined, they will of necessity be present, to minister before God.

36. What does Christ promise overcomers?
"He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels." Rev. 3:5.

37. What protection has God promised His people during the seven last plagues?
"There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone." Ps. 91:10-12.

38. When Christ comes, who will come with Him, and what will they do?
"For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels."  "And they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." Matt. 16:27; 24:31.

39. Where will all the saints then go?
"Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 1 Thess. 4:17.

NOTE.-We shall then have the privilege of seeing and conversing not only with the good and blest of all ages, but with the angels who have ministered to us during our earthly pilgrimage.

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O, MAY Thine angels, while I sleep,
Around my bed their vigils keep;
Their love angelical instil,
Stop every avenue of ill!
May they celestial joys rehearse,
And thought to thought with me converse.
BISHOP KENT.

Preparing For Eternity
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