ANGELS— FELLOW SERVANTS WITH US OF GOD
ANGELS— FELLOW SERANTS WITH US OF GOD
After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow on earth or sea or against any tree. Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” —-Revelation 7:1-3
God tells us in His Word that “Are not the angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (Revelation 1:14). God’s angels are at work around us serving God’s purposes. We are not to worship angels; God alone is to be worshipped—
And I am John, who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had shown me these things. But he said to me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!” —Revelation 22:8-8
The angel speaking to John identifies himself as “a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book.” That includes us! Angels are serving as we are serving and yet we typically do not see them. Although we are told not to “neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:2). But… we are not to worship them. We are to worship God alone!
Angels appear serving immediately after Adam and Eve’s disobedience in Genesis 3:24— “After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.” Angels are involved in God’s judgments (I Chronicles 22:15). They communicated to Gideon (Judges 6:21, to Zechariah (Zechariah 2:3), to Joseph (Matthew 1:20), to Zachariah (Luke 1:11), to Mary (Luke 1:26), to Shepherds (Luke 2:13), to Mary (John 20:12), to Peter (Acts 5:19), to Paul (Acts 27:23) to mention a few places. All through Revelation we see them actively serving God’s purposes. We can be assured angels are serving His purposes today all around us as well. Yet, again, we are not to worship them. God could do His work without angels just as He could do His work without us, but He has chosen to work through angels and through us. What a privilege! What a responsibility!
In the passage above from Revelation we see that the angels are affecting the wind. In this case they are holding back the wind from happening. These angels are given the power to harm the earth, sea and trees. But they are told not to do so until the angels have sealed the servants of God.
Praise God for His servants the angels. They are servants to us who are heirs of salvation. Be thankful for how God is working through them. But do not worship them. Worship belongs to God alone!
Dear Father, I thank You for our fellow servants, the angels. As they faithfully serve You and us, may we faithfully serve You along with them. May this be so by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son Jesus. So may it be! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0gu0nOaFsI