The word “angel” properly means a messenger and is thus applied to celestial beings as messengers sent forth from God to convey or to do his will.
Hebrews 1:13-14 “But to which of the angels said he at any time, sit on my right hand, Until I make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”
This being the common meaning of the word, it may however be employed to denote anyone who is a messenger, and hence, with propriety, anyone who is employed to communicate the will of another; to transact his business, or, more remotely, to act in his place – to be a representative.
The word “angel” is employed in the Old Testament to denote a prophet; that is, a minister of religion as sent by God to communicate his will.
Thus in Haggai 1:13 it is said, “Then spake Haggai, the Lord’s messenger (Hebrew for angel is “mal’ak Yahweh)
It is also applied to a priest, as one sent by God to execute the functions of that office, or to act in the name of the Lord.
Malachi 2:7, “for the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts”.
There is no reason why the word might not be thus employed to designate a pastor of a Christian church, as originally used to designate a prophet or a priest under the Old Testament dispensation.
Thus we see in Rev 1:20, 2:1, 2:12, that this term was used to refer to New Testament Pastors of Churches.
Angel is therefore a deputy commissioned to discharge a certain duty for the principal whom he represents.
An angel is an intelligent being. Could be a man acting for a man, (Genesis 32:3; Job 1:14,), or a man acting for God (Haggai 1:13; Malachi 3:1,) or a superhuman being delegated in this case only by God, as we saw in our opening text (Heb 1:14). The English term “angel” is now especially appropriated to this latter class of messengers.
WE ARE TO EXPECT ANGELIC INTERVENTION ALWAYS.
Genesis 24:7 “The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence”.
One of the basic privileges of our sonship in Christ (John 1:12) is angelic service.
Hebrews 1:14 states so unequivocally.
Then you may ask: Why am I not getting this service? Why do I go through difficulties like everyone else?
The answer is two-fold. Spiritual realities are activatable via knowledge. You have most probably received angelic interventions in the past, and recent times of your life, but you’re completely oblivious of it. However, intimate awareness of the present help of God via angelic ministry and the ability to activate such help at will requires knowledge and training.
In the text above, Abraham wasn’t doing guesswork. He knew that the assignment of finding a wife for Isaac, (and by implication the mother of the chosen seed of God) is a highly profiled assignment, and God will surely ditto angels to see to it. Otherwise, how do you think that a mere fleece put out by Eleazar could get such a destiny-altering assignment, the identification and betrothal of Rebekah, accomplished? And so speedily too.
Compare Abraham’s knowledge and experience with that of Jacob his son.
Genesis 28:16, “And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not”. The difference is that Abraham knew God’s ways intimately, whilst Isaac was just beginning to learn it.
Knowledge of our sonship in Christ (John 1:12) should be automatically, (or ipso-facto” if you like) a knowledge of our privileged access to angelic services.
And finally, realize that Angelic SERVICE IS AVAILABLE TO ALL SAINTS.
The OT saints were very conscious of Angelic service.
We see this in Elisha’s ministry.
2 Kings 6:16-17, “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”.
Angelic help was demonstrated clearly also in Paul’s ministry when his nephew was placed within earshot of men who were plotting to kill Paul.
Human understanding may call that happenstance, but that was actually an Angel on duty protecting Paul. (SEE Acts 23:12-24).
Jesus too was mindful of angelic service. At one point He said to Peter: “sheath your sword, Simon. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?(Matt 26:53)
Angels are on assignment and have been sent to help you.
The mere awareness that this same angelic service is available to all believers is mind-boggling, yet very true.
Every believer therefore ought to be taught about the ministry of angels, and to master the deployment of angels to serve the purposes of the gospel.
To take advantage of the ministry of angels you must accept that angels have been released by God and are on an assignment to assist the believer in doing exploits for the gospel. (See Acts 27:22-25)
Secondly, you must exercise that privilege of angelic intervention through bold action. ( 2 Kings 7:5-7).