Angels Unaware
“O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” (2 Kings 6:17a)
Do you ever think about angels? I don’t mean little bewinged naked babies flying around with tiny bows and arrows. They are a fiction. Real angels are fearsome and beautiful and are called ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation. (Hebrews 1:14)
Angels are ancient personal spiritual beings created by God to praise and serve Him. They have intellect, emotion, and will, and although they do not have physical bodies, they are able to appear in physical form to reveal themselves to people.
Demons are fallen angels, but I’m not really talking about them right now. It is worth noting, however, that there is an innumerable company of angels serving the Lord (Hebrews 12:22), far outnumbering demons by at least two to one. (Revelation 12:3-9)
It is not clear if each believer has a guardian angel, but we know beyond any doubt that the Lord’s childlike disciples are constantly under the Father’s care, and that His angels are always in communication with Him to instantly help us as He calls upon them. 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. (Matthew 18:10)
People never become angels in heaven, despite the movie “A Wonderful Life,” and we are never to pray to angels. We pray only to God, who doesn’t need angels to accomplish His plan for us. After all, He alone is all-powerful. But the Lord often uses angels to help us: they bring answers to prayer (Acts 10:3-7; 12:5-10), aid in winning people to Christ, (Acts 8:26) and encourage us in times of danger (Acts 27:23-24). Jesus told a story (the rich man and Lazarus) that suggests angels care for believers at the time of their deaths (Luke 16:22).
We may be closer to angels than we know, even to the point of hosting them in our homes. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares (Hebrews 13:2).
One of my favorite angel stories is when the prophet Elijah and his servant were pursued by the Syrian army. During the night, the Syrians surrounded the city of Dothan with horses and chariots. When Elijah’s servant woke up, he saw how he and his master were in mortal danger against overwhelming odds. He cried out, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” (2 Kings 6:15b) Elijah simply prayed that the Lord would reveal the truth in the heavenly realm. 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 (2 Kings 6:17).
The angelic army was infinitely superior to Elijah’s human foes, and Elijah easily won the victory over them. (2 Kings 6:18-23)
In these uncertain, stressful times, please remember that our God is on our side and that no one and nothing is even close to being a match for Him. He rules and overrules! As you read this, wherever you might be, it is very possible that there are angels right there, watching over you, instantly obeying the protective, guiding care of your Father in heaven.