f\N\e^a\ S
A n g e l ic m in is t r y is a theme that runs throughout Scripture. We can trace their activity before man was created and also see them at work in eternity. Meanwhile they are the obedient messengers of our Father in Heaven. Though the service of angels is often overlooked by us, the frequency of its mention in the Bible assures us of its considerable importance. In these days when materialism dominates men’s minds, God’s spiritual creatures have often been forgotten. They served our Lord when He was here on earth. At the great crises of His life they appeared, obedient servants of God their Creator. One of them had an un speakable privilege. When Jesus was in agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, knowing the depths of sorrow, exhausted, “ there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him” (Luke 22:43). When Jesus went back to Heaven, it was not the end of angelic service. It is still going on and we who are Christians are the ones who benefit from it. As the writer of the Hebrews’ letter (1:14) put it: “ Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” What ministry is yet reserved for angels! Critical events will soon burst on the world. Angels have a cru cial part to play in each of them. The future will see angels at work in a way that they have never done before. At the present moment “ our citizenship is in heav en ; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20 ASV). A mighty transformation in our situation is soon to take place. “We which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them [the dead in Christ] in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air” (I Thess. 4:17). How shall we be able to make this ascent? Certain ly we shall need more than human help. Our Lord told us in His parable of the wheat and tares. Speaking of the different ways in which He will treat wheat and tares, He says: “ In the time of harvest I will say to the 14
reapers, . . . gather the wheat into my barn” (Matt. 13:30). When later He is explaining the significance of the terms used in the parable He tells us “ the good seed are the children of the kingdom,” that is, we who are Christians; and “ the reapers are the angels.” This solves the difficulty of the manner in which we shall rise to meet the Lord in the air at the gathering of His saints. As so often happens, God’s answer to our problem is to send some of His angelic servants. In their strong hands we shall ascend to our meeting place with the Lord. Without a moment’s notice we may find ourselves in the hands of these angels. Then they will transport us from earth with its sorrows and trials into the presence of Christ. We should not know our way through an unknown atmosphere to worlds above, so we shall have angelic aid to help us heavenwards. “ The prince of the power of the terms used in the parable He tells us, “ the good attack us while we are here. But it will be of no use their trying to prevent our rising to the presence of Christ, for they will not be able to prevent the angels taking us to be “ for ever with the Lord” (I Thess. 4:17). Then we shall no longer be exposed to fears without and temptations within, but we shall be eter- nally sheltered from the wintry blasts of the Devil. While some of these angelic beings will assist us upwards, others will attend our Lord and come down wards. Jesus assured us: “ The Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels” (Matt. 16:27). As they have ministered to our Lord in Heaven and on earth, so they will be His attendants when He leaves Heaven to meet the saints of God. What splendor will mark that day! To the apostle John was granted the privilege of seeing “ the things which shall be hereafter” (Rev. 1:19), that is, when the present age has been com pleted. He watched the activity of the angels in the period between the end of this age and the Lord’s return in judgment. While millions of angels are in Heaven worshipping THE KING 'S BUSINESS
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