We do not know how many angels the Godhead created in the beginning of the creative process.  If, as we are told, each convert has a “guardian angel” assigned to him/her, there has to be a multitude of those extremely powerful beings “out there.”  The question now becomes, what do they do?  We are not aware of their specific duties, but the Bible does give us some general information relative to their actions.  Let us look at some of the actions angels have been assigned to do.

In Hebrews 1:14 we find the Apostle Paul writing about the angels, saying: “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for those who will be heirs of salvation?”  Notice that these are assigned to those who WILL (LATER) BE HEIRS of salvation.  This tells us that salvation WILL BE AWARDED at a later time–upon Christ’s return.  Read Hope and Salvation.  Key word–Hope.  At present, those who are qualifying for eternal life are “HEIRS,” not inheritors.  An heir is one to whom a promise is made.  An “INHERITOR” is one who has received the promise.  Jesus Christ sits at the right hand of the Father in the northern heavens while He awaits the awarding of what He has qualified to receive–the earth, then later the universe.  He is at present the HEIR of ALL THINGS (Heb. 1:2).  True saints who endure in holiness until the end (Mat. 10:22) are “joint heirs” with Him (Rom. 8:17).  Read God’s Very Elect: Future Caretakers of the Universe.  Key word–Caretakers.

Perhaps the best Biblical passage relative to the type of jobs angels are now performing is found in Second Kings chapter six where we find the Lord, through the Scriptures, telling us that, though Satan has great power, God’s people have even greater power than the enemy (devil)–IF those people obey the Word of God.  The only power false saints (sinners saved by grace) have is that which a merciful God, due to His grace, uses to protect them from themselves or to help them out of situations into which they themselves created through disobedience such as sickness, etc.  When He helps such people it is not BECAUSE of their religiosity, but rather IN SPITE of it.  I know this from personal experience and God’s Word.  God’s mercy and patience are not limitless.  Note that in Scripture He mentions His “long-suffering,” not His “endless-suffering.”  Let me be clear, if a mistake can be made, I have probably made it.  I write and speak from a history of sin and failures.  For this reason I often ask God why He chose me for this ministry.  Whatever is the limit to His grace, I have surely rubbed up against it.

In Second Kings 6:15-17 we read: “And when the servant of the man of God (Elisha) had risen early and gone forth, behold, an enemy army had surrounded the city with horses and chariots.  The servant said to Elisha, ‘Look, master.  What will we do?’  And Elisha answered him, ‘Do not fear, for they that are with us (God’s angels) are more than they who are with them (the enemy).’  And Elisha prayed, saying, ‘Lord, I pray to You, open his (the servant’s) eyes so that he can see what I see.”  And the Lord opened the servant’s (spiritual) eyes and he saw what Elisha could see.  The area around Elisha and his servant was filled with (God’s spiritual) horses and chariots (and angels).  The calvary had arrived.

As we do battle against Satan and his angels (devils/demons) we use the power of His Holy Spirit to conquer them by warding off their “fiery darts” of temptation with the armor provided due to our obedience (Eph. 6:11-17).  God’s great army of angels also fights for us as long as we are walking in the holiness exemplified by Jesus of Nazareth.

Just as Elisha was surrounded by God’s angelic army, true saints of God are also surrounded by them.  Though we do not visually see them, the Holy Bible assures us that they are in place, standing at the ready to do battle for us as we moment-by-moment fight against “wickedness in high places” whose goal is to entice us to sin and therefore forfeit that which the Lord died so that we can receive–protection now and eternal life later.  Adam and Eve lost Eden because they did not rely on their angelic host, but rather sinned themselves away from God’s protection.  As Isaiah 59:2 tells us, sin separates us from God and therefore from protection which makes us low-hanging fruit for Satan to devour.  Without our spiritual powers available, we stand no chance against the devil and his angelic army of devils/demons.

The final question to be asked and answered is: WHAT WILL BE THE SAINT-ANGEL RELATIONSHIP IN THE FUTURE?  God’s true saints are destined to be GREATER THAN THE ANGELS IN TERMS OF CHARACTER, MENTAL ABILITY AND POWER.  WE KNOW THIS BECAUSE GOD DECLARES IT IN PRINT.  The Very Elect are destined to become greater than the angels who at present are much greater than they (saints) are.

Though angels are incredibly powerful in every way, they know that a time will come when they will be surpassed in every way by human beings who will have fought Satan and won.  Jesus spoke about these heroes of the faith in Revelation 3:21 where He says that those who overcome the devil will sit with Him on His throne.  In his writings the Apostle Paul compares the power of the angels to the potential of man, beginning with the man Jesus of Nazareth: “For to what angel did God ever say, ‘You (the joint heir with Christ) are My son, this day I have become your father?”  Or again, “I will be a father to him and he will be a son to me?'” (Heb. 1:5).  God wants to have a family relationship with mortal human beings.  He wants to re-create Himself in man as He did in Jesus of Nazareth.  Angels cannot become the caliber of sons that Jesus became and other human beings can become.  They can never become sons in the way that Jesus became a Son and that his fellow human brethren can become sons.

Though man is decidedly lower than the angels during this life, he has a destiny far higher than theirs.  No created entity or being, not even an angel, has the destiny God promises to obedient man.  No entity, including angels, can be literally begotten by the Lord and born into His family.  Angels were not, nor can ever be, born of God.  No angel can ever be a literal member of the Lord’s divine family.  GOD’S SAINTS ARE DESTINED TO BECOME GODS AS THE MAN JESUS CHRIST BECAME A GOD AND NOW SITS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER, WHICH IS WHERE ALL OF HIS SONS WILL SIT.  TRUE SAINTS ARE DESTINED TO JOIN HIM ON HIS THRONE (Rev. 3:21).  ONLY THROUGH OBEDIENCE TO HIM AND HIS FATHER CAN THEY ATTAIN THIS STATUS. 

WARNING: DO NOT LET SATAN’S FALSE PROPHETS “TAKE YOUR CROWN” BY TELLING YOU THAT ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS TAKE JESUS AS YOUR SAVIOR, THEN REPENT FOLLOWING THOSE SINS THAT YOU MUST COMMIT DUE TO ADAM’S SIN-TRANSFERAL MIRACLE.  THEY ARE LIERS WORKING FOR THE FATHER OF LIES–SATAN (Mat. 24:4,5).

“To which of the angels did God ever say: ‘Sit at My right hand until I make your enemies a foot-stool for your feet?  They (angels) are all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will be heirs of salvation?” (Heb. 1:13,14).    Paul goes on to warn us that we must obey what we have been taught (God’s Truth) in order to be joint-heirs with Christ (2:1).

Even Jesus Christ was once lower than the angels.  “But we see Jesus, Who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death. We see Him crowned with glory and honor so that He, by the grace of God, should taste death for every man.  For it became Him … to make the Captain of their (true saints) salvation PERFECT through sufferings” (Heb. 2:9,10).  As a man, Jesus showed us how to live the obedient life unto perfection and so as to receive all His promised inheritance.   Do not forget that we are joint-heirs with Him, IF we live as He lived.  We must “walk as He walked” (1 Jn. 2:6) in order to receive the inheritance God has promised us as joint-heirs with Him (Jesus).

Now for the coup de gras: GOD’S VERY ELECT WILL JUDGE ANGELS (1 Cor. 6:3).  I am not worthy to even comment on that Truth.  L.J.