What is the purpose of angels?

In verse 7 we have a quotation which plainly states the nature of angels and the reason why they exist. They are spirits in their nature and they exist as ministers to serve the Divine will. This is in contrast to what goes before and also to that which follows.

Another thing about man confronts us in verses 26 and 28 he was created to hold dominion over the lower creation. In this feature he appears to be unique. There are rulers in the angelic world — "principality, and power, and might, and dominion" (Eph. 1:21) — but their rule only extends over beings of their own order. Dealing with angels, Hebrews 1:14 asks, "Are they not all ministering spirits?" Yes, all, even to the archangel himself, were created to serve. As far as Scripture informs us, only man was made to have dominion over others.

There are distinctions amongst the angelic hosts. They are distributed into various orders and ranks, but all, from the archangel down to the least, are servants. They have no relationship to God founded on redemption. They are servants, and never rise out of that position, nor do they desire it. The two great characteristics of angel life are unquestioning obedience and activity in service (Ps. 103:20; Heb. 1:7, 14). The “presence angels” is a familiar Jewish thought. They are supposed by some to be identical with the seven Spirits before the throne (Rev. 1:4), and by others the term is regarded as a borrowed expression from the apocryphal book of Tobit. Both are wrong. Why depart from obvious simplicity and force an interpretation for which there is really no adequate reason? What the angel Gabriel said of himself, “I am Gabriel, who stand before God” (Luke 1:19), is here said of these seven presence angels. As to the number, seven, they represent the full power of God in judicial judgment.

Moreover, at every gate there is an angel. In Scripture we constantly see angels employed as the guardians of God's people, as we read, "The angel of the LORD encamps round about them that fear him, and delivers them" (Ps. 34:7; Acts 12:7-10). Then they are used in executing governmental judgment upon the wicked, as in the case of Herod, of whom we read, "The angel of the Lord smote him" (Acts 12:23). Further, angels are used as the messengers of the Lord between earth and heaven, as the Lord can say, "Ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man" (John 1:51).

We cannot think of them as being symbolic figures merely of divine attributes, for we could not conceive of God being worshiped by His own attributes, or of their being veiled with wings in His presence. It is only conscious personal beings who could thus present their adoration to Him. And yet these beings are identified in their office with the execution of divine righteousness. We must beware of intruding into those things which we have not seen among which is a "religion of angels" (Col. 2:18); but this does not debar us from gathering all that God has been pleased to reveal to us.

Both Old and New Testaments abound with passages referring to the existence, personality and ministry of angels. They are called literally "messengers" — for this is the significance of the word both in Hebrew and Greek — and no doubt is left that they are heavenly messengers. Their estate is heavenly (see Gal. 1:8; 2 Thess. 1:7); and they are there as worshipers and servants of God (Job 1:6; Job 38:7; 1 Kings 22:19). This last passage would almost suggest the position of the cherubim: "I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right hand and on His left" — they are grouped about His throne, ready to do His will. Angels were particularly used in connection with errands of mercy and of judgment: to announce to Abraham the birth of Isaac, in due time (Gen. 18:2 with Heb. 13:2); for the rescue of Lot out of Sodom (Gen. 19:1); in ministry upon Jacob as he slept (Gen. 28:12). They were present in great multitudes at Sinai, and gave character to the ministration of the law (Ps. 68:17 with Acts 7:53; Heb. 2:2).

We know that in a special way the angels are the guardians of the Lord's people, "sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation" (Heb. 1:14). Here we further learn that they are the executors of God's will behind all His providential dealings amongst men; and in carrying out their commission, they are opposed by wicked spiritual beings.

The session of Jesus, on the Father's throne, is closely connected with the specialty of His title as the Melchisedec Priest, a title more fully to be examined further on. It was for no angel that this place had been reserved. It is the Lord who may alone sit there. "Jehovah said unto my Lord," etc. Worship and homage are the attendants of that seat. There are lesser seats in heaven, whose exalted occupants must worship there. Thrones and dominions, principalities and powers, bear each their measure of Divinely-adjusted sway. They rule for God where He appoints their rule. In governing they obey. Their province, as their title, is to be the ministers of God. Angels have no personal enemies; their animosities and their affections are but varied expressions of their zeal for God. Rest is no attribute of angel life; they live and shine as the ever ready messengers of Him who dwells in the high and holy place. To Him alone, and to the Lamb, are ceaseless praise and adoration paid.

And now another marvel is revealed. We have seen how all God's angels are prepared to greet with worship the second entrance of the First-begotten into the world. We have seen, too, that they are already the willing vassals of Him who is the Head of all principality and power. The nature of their present service is now more particularly declared. "Are they not ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to them who are about to inherit salvation?" A wondrous truth! Yet let it not seem strange in the eyes of those for whom Christ died that even such things should be found among the true sayings of the blessed God. A grateful portion is it, surely, of the "present truth," and one in which we shall do well to settle our souls. The ministers are angels. The receivers of the ministry are heirs. They are fellow-heirs with Christ. They are heirs of a Father whom they know and joy in as their Saviour and their God. Once sunk in sin beyond all natural hope, they are now, through grace, become in Christ the sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty — begotten to the living hope of their enduring heritage through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. The heritage for which they wait is in one single word, "Salvation." Christian salvation is not a mere escape from wrath. The vessels of God's mercy are by Him prepared in Christ for glory. They who receive abundance of grace, and the gift of righteousness, shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. The receivers of Divine forgiveness through the blood of Jesus are also sanctified through faith in Him. Now the inheritance of God's saints is in light. They are themselves the children of light. They will shine thus in glory to His eternal praise, who is the Father of glory. Angels assent to this. Great is their pure joy in heaven at the turning of one soul to God. They celebrate, with louder strains of joyful adoration than were rendered at creation, God's chiefest work of wisdom and of love. They desire to behold, with deeper search, the still unfathomed mysteries of Divine redemption. Meanwhile, they bear their willing part in the furtherance of His good pleasure, whom they only live to serve. They are sent forth to be the ministers of help to those whom God holds worthy of such ministry, because they bear the title of His Son.

He therefore is in the place of absolute authority, but angels are "all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation." Theirs is the place of servants simply, their place infinitely lower than His, just as in person they are as much lower. But it is nevertheless a blessed place they occupy, in being delegated to minister in temporal protection, comfort, sustenance, to those destined to eternal glory. Doubtless we owe to angelic ministry far more than we discern in matters of physical strength and wellbeing, yet as spirit beings their ministry is completely veiled, and they are content to remain unknown to us, that glory for this may be given only to God. Blessed service indeed! Compare their ministry to the Lord Jesus in Mark 1:13, and an angel strengthening Him (physically of course) in Luke 22:43.

Those men were angels. At times in the past God has sent such messengers to communicate with His earthly creatures. Two angels in human form visited Lot , and brought him out of Sodom . The law was ordained by angels, said Stephen (Acts 7:53 ). With that the Apostle Paul's statement in Galatians ( 3:19 ) is in agreement. Often had they appeared on the scene in Israel 's history, ministering at times providentially (1 Kings 19:5), at times communicating something of the Divine will. By this latter service Daniel and Zechariah were especially favoured. In New Testament times Gabriel visited the aged priest Zacharias, and later the Virgin Mary. At the Lord's birth there appeared first one announcing the glad tidings, and then was heard a multitude praising God (Luke 2). Yet though twice in the Lord's life He received their ministrations (Matt.4:11; Luke 22:43 ), they were not used at any time whilst He was on earth as channels for Divine revelation. We can all understand the propriety of that. He died. Again they appeared to minister the information suited for the moment. Those visiting the tomb of the company of the women saw them and heard them, and they carried away the message they were charged by them to deliver. But during the forty days of the Lord's presence with His own we read not of angelic ministry. And even on Mary's second visit to the tomb they retired into the background, and let the Lord discover Himself to her. When He was present, the angels were silent. The Lord ascended. Two angels then immediately appeared, sent to encourage the Eleven by announcing the certainty of the return of Jesus in person. "Shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven" On the day of Pentecost the Holy Ghost, Third Person of the Godhead, came to dwell upon earth. Angels then again receded, as it were, into the background, ministering still providentially (Acts 5:19 , 12:7, 27:23; Heb.1:14), but not as vessels to communicate Christian truth. With this agree the act and word of the angel who visited Cornelius. He directed him to send for Peter, who would tell him words whereby he and his house should be saved (Acts 11:14 ). For neither the preaching of the Gospel of the grace of God, nor the present teaching to establish souls in the faith, has been committed to angels. The Holy Ghost is here, and He uses human instruments for that purpose. In the Apocalypse, however, angelic ministry reappears. That book unfolds the future of the earth, and the judgments which must take place. Angels will be executors of those judgments, so in character with that it may be that one speaks therein to John.

The Reapers are the Angels. — There will be angelic ministry in that day, such as heretofore the world has only had glimpses of. Under the old economy the angels were, if we might so say, in the place of rule (Gal. 3:19). In the present day of grace they are seen in the place of lowly service to the children of the Kingdom (Heb. 1:14). But in the coming day will be seen the angels of His power as the executors of the judgment of God upon evil, and evil men.