Bible Readings for the Home

Chapter 115

The Ministration of Good Angels

Of what family does Paul speak in Ephesians 3:14, 15?
"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named."

By what name are the members of this family called?
"Now there was a day when the sons of God [angels] came to present themselves before the Lord." Job. 1:6. "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God." 1 John 3:1.

By what name are they known to us?
"And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne." Rev. 5:11.

Did angels exist before the death of any of the human family?
"So He drove out the man: and He placed at the east of the garden of Eden cherubim." Gen. 3:24. 

Who witnessed the laying of the foundations of the earth?
"Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" Job 38:6, 7.

How many of these beings did John see around the throne?
"And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands." Rev. 5:11.

What does Paul say of their number?
"But ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels." Heb. 12:22.

What shows that those angels sent to Abraham were real beings?
"And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat." Gen. 18:8 (Gen. 19:3).

What seems to be the principle employment of the angels?
"Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" Heb. 1:14.

How do they minister to God's people?
"The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them t!I1at fear Him, and delivereth them." Ps. 34:7.

Give examples of their ministrations.
"My God hath sent His angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me; forasmuch as before Him innocency was found in me." Dan. 6:22. See also 2 Kings 6:8-17; Dan. 9:21; 10:12; Acts 12:5-11.

When Nebuchadnezzar commanded all his subjects to worship the golden image, and the three Hebrews were cast into the fiery furnace for refusing to obey his edict, how were they protected from the ravages of the fire?
"I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the son of God." "Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent His angel, and delivered His servants that trusted in Him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God." Dan. 3:25, 28.

When Elijah was to take his forty days' journey from near Beersheba to Mount Horeb, how was he strengthened for the task?
"And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God." 1 Kings 19:7, 8.

What interest do angels have in the plan of salvation?
"Which things the angels desire to look into." 1 Peter 1:12.

Are they interested in individual cases?
"Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." Luke 15:10.

Before whom are we said to speak when excusing ourselves from a vow?
"Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error; wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?" Eccl. 5:5, 6.

For what must men give account in the judgment?
"But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." Matt. 12:36. (Eccl. 12:13, 14).

From what will they be judged?
"And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." Rev. 20:12.

Are the actions of men recorded?
"And the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name." Mal. 3:16 (Isa. 65:5, 6) (Jer. 2:22).

When the judgment books are opened, will the angels be present to minister before God?
"A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him; thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him; the judgment was set, and the books were opened." Dan. 7:10.

What will be done for those whose record shows them to have been overcomers?
"He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels." Rev. 3:5.

When that work is done, and the Saviour comes to gather those who have been accounted His, who will come with Him?
"For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then He shall reward every man according to his works." Matt. 16:27.

What part will they act at this time?
"And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." Matt. 24:31.

Where will the saints go?
"Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 1 Thess. 4:17.

What shout of triumph will they raise as they come out of their graves?
"O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" 1 Cor. 15:55.

What will be the final song of victory?
"And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, Saying, Great and marvelous are Thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints." Rev. 15:3.