There is a proliferation of angel figurines, dolls, pins, etc..

           Books about angels abound in Christian and secular book stores. Surveys indicate that 69% of Americans believe in angels.

          What does the Bible teach? Angels are referred to 283 times in the Bible. Another 69 times as Cherubim, and twice as Seraphim.

          There are thousands of near accidents or split second escapes from death every year. Are these all coincidence or chance?

          The Bible says there is an invisible world.

          There are more things that cannot be seen than can be seen.

          Billions of atoms, electrons, protons, etc.

         Even the air itself cannot be seen, but we can feel it and see its effects.

        Tonight we are going to lift the vail between the visible and invisible.

       We shall look at that part of creation which is invisible; yet can become visible at will.

       We do not need a powerful telescope or microscope.

      Only the magnificent magnification of the word of God.

THE REALITY OF ANGELS

Psalms 104:1-5 - The Clouds are His chariots.

Revelation 1:7 - Behold He cometh with clouds.

Acts 1:9 - A cloud received Him out of their sight.

Psalms 68:17 - His chariots are angels.

He shall come in His glory and all His angels (Matthew 24:31; 25:31).

       Who or what are angels?

        Laura Ingalls said: "If I don't get rid of bad feeling I can't become an angel".

Angels are not spirits of the dead.

They were in Eden before anyone died (Genesis 3:24).

The were created before man.

Hebrews 2:6, 7 tell us that man was created a little lower than angels.

Satan is an angel (Ezekiel 28:12-14; Isaiah 14:13, 14).

He, along with a third of the angels were cast out of heaven (Revelation 12:7, 9, 12).

           Angels stand in the presence of God, round about His throne and the number of them is ten thousand times ten thousand (Revelation 5:11).

That is over 100 million.

        They are said to be an innumerable company (Hebrews 12:22).

         The Scriptures are filled with accounts of these heavenly beings.

          Have appeared to men to partake of the hospitality of earthly home. To men such as Abraham, Lot, Jacob, etc..

Some have even entertained angels unawares (Hebrews 13:1).

They have also appeared in their true form.

Jacob at Mahanian (Genesis 31:1, 2). God sent two bands of angels.

They fed Elijah (1 Kings 19:5-7).

        They touched him, awakened him, fed him, strengthened him.

They came to Daniel in the lions' den (Daniel 6), Peter in prison (Acts 12), Jesus in Gethsemane (Luke 22:43; Matthew 26:53).

They were there on the resurrection morning (Matthew 28:1-6).

         "In all ages, God has wrought through holy angels for the succor and deliverance of his people. Celestial beings have taken an active part in the affairs of men. They have appeared clothed in garments that shone as the lightning; they have come as men, in the garb of wayfarers. Angels have appeared in human form to men of God. They have rested, as if weary, under the oaks at noon. They have accepted the hospitalities of human homes. They have acted as guides to benighted travelers. They have, with their own hands, kindled the fires of the altar. They have opened prison doors, and set free the servants of the Lord. Clothed with the panoply of Heaven, they came to roll away the stone from the Saviour's tomb.

In the form of men, angels are often in the assemblies of the righteous, and they visit the assemblies of the wicked, as they went to Sodom, to make a record of their deeds, to determine whether they have passed the boundary of God's forbearance. The Great Controversy, p. 631

         They are powerful beings that excel in strength.

         They keep God's commandments - hearken to His word (Psalms 103:20, 21). If only we all did this.

THE MINISTRY OF ANGELS

Hebrews 1:13, 14 (Ministering spirits)

         His ministers - sent from Him - to minister to those of us who are heirs of salvation.

         Every child has a guardian angel appointed to him by the King of heaven to watch over him, to guard and care for him from childhood to the end of life's journey (Matthew 18:10). Our Lord had angels which watched over Him and ministered to Him.

         Satan at times appears as an angel of light as he did at the temptation of Jesus (Matthew 4:5-7; 2 Corinthians 11:14).

          Satan misquoted Scripture as many of his followers still do today.

         Verse 11 (Angels came and ministered to Him).

What God really said (Psalms 91:11). In all thy ways.

         Before we consider the ways in which we are kept let us consider ways in which we are not. Presumption - sinfulness - lies - deceit - vise - worldliness - conformity - greed - selfishness pride - erroneous doctrine, etc..

Ways of guaranteed protection

        The way of humble, childlike faith - consecrated service - separation from the world - strict principle and stern integrity - obedience to divine precepts.

            God would sooner empty all of heaven of its angelic host, than allow one of His children; who is walking after His ways to suffer defeat.

He charges all His angels to care for us.

"Though the rulers of this world know it not, yet often in their councils angels have been spokesmen. Human eyes have looked upon them. Human ears have listened to their appeals. In the council hall the court of justice, heavenly messengers have pleaded the cause of the persecuted and oppressed. They have defeated purposes and arrested evils that would have brought wrong and suffering to God's children. To the students in the heavenly school, all this will be unfolded. Every redeemed one will understand the ministry of angels in his own life. The angel who was his guardian from his earliest moment; the angel who watched his steps, and covered his head in the day of peril; the angel who was with him in the valley of the shadow of death, who marked his resting place, who was the first to greet him in the resurrection morning -- what will it be to hold converse with him, and to learn the history of divine interposition in the individual life, of heavenly co-operation in every work for humanity! Education, p. 305

1/3 of the angels fell, but 2/3 remain. That makes it 2 to 1 in our favor. They are all about us to care for us (Psalms 34:7).

They are all about us, but we do not see them as with Balaam (Numbers 22:31), Elisha (2 Kings 6:15-17).

It was angels, or chariots of fire, that carried Elijah to heaven.

If our eyes could be opened to see the invisible messengers of God, how much different might our attitudes and actions be?

How much sweeter might our words be?

Would your words and conduct have been as it was today if you had seen your angel standing at your side - listening and recording. - For that is another of their functions.

These marvelous messengers record - protect - direct - deliver - strengthen and keep the child of God.