Num. 22:21-35

In Gen. 18, three men came to visit Abraham, and inform him that Sarah would have a child.

I think we can conclude that one of these men was actually God, and the other 2 were angels.

We see God staying behind to talk to Abraham, while the 2 angels went ahead to see to the destruction of Sodom, because of their extreme wickedness. Gen. 19: 24-29

In Gen. 28, angels appeared to Jacob in a dream—going up into Heaven.

In Gen. 22, an angel prevented the slaying of Isaac as a sacrifice.

In Num. 22, in our scripture reading, we saw where the angel was standing in the way, and Balaam’s donkey saw the angel and tried to turn to the side. And then we see God speaking thru the donkey to Balaam.

In Judges 13, an angel announced the birth of Samson.

In Dan. 6, an angel saved Daniel from the lions.

In II Kings 19, one angel slew 185,000 Assyrian soldiers.

An angel gave instruction in the writing of the book of Zechariah.

In the N T, an angel announced the birth of John the Baptist, along with his name.

In Luke 2, angels announced the birth of Jesus to shepherds.

In Matt. 4, angels minister to Jesus following His temptation.

In Matt. 28, an angel rolled away the stone at Jesus’ tomb.

In Ac. 5, an angel opened the prison doors for the apostles.

In Ac 12, an angel struck Herod dead, after he had killed James, and was going to kill Peter.

Heb. 12:22, says that there are too many angels to count.

Heb. 1:13,14, says that angels minister to christians.

There are numerous examples of angels in the O T and N T.

We see different descriptions of angels at different times.

Today, we may perceive an angel as a beautiful woman w/

golden hair; w/ shining wings; and a long white gown---

or we may perceive an angel as a small baby, w/ a crossbow and arrows, ready to promote love at first sight.

But, is it really important for us to study about angels?

We can’t see them, and we do have the Bible to read, so why bother with a study about angels?

As I have mentioned before; there is nothing in the Bible that is unimportant.

It is there for a reason.

That doesn’t mean that we can understand everything in the Bible, but it also doesn’t lessen its importance.

Heb 13:2 BE NOT FORGETFUL TO ENTERTAIN STRANGERS; FOR THEREBY SOME HAVE ENTERTAINED ANGELS UNAWARES.

In Luke 16:22, with the story of the rich man and Lazarus—both men died—the rich man was buried, and Lazarus was carried by an angel to Abraham’s bosom.

So, what is an angel, and what does he do?

A quote by Millard J. Erickson—BY ANGELS, WE MEAN THOSE SPIRITUAL BEINGS WHICH GOD CREATED HIGHER THAN MAN; SOME OF WHOM HAVE REMAINED OBEDIENT TO GOD AND CARRY OUT HIS WILL, AND OTHERS OF WHOM DISOBEYED AND LOST THEIR HOLY CONDITION, AND OPPOSE AND HINDER HIS WORK.

Paul describes himself as an angel, referring to his carrying a divine message.

Gal 4:4 YE RECEIVED ME AS AN ANGEL OF GOD.

Paul also gives a description of an angel of Satan; being a negative influence in his life.

II Cor 12:7 AND LEST I SHOULD BE EXALTED ABOVE MEASURE THROUGH THE ABUNDANCE OF THE REVELATIONS, THERE WAS GIVEN TO ME A THORN IN THE FLESH, THE MESSENGER OF SATAN TO BUFFET ME, LEST I SHOULD BE EXALTED ABOVE MEASURE.

We see that angels were in existence before the world was created.

Job 38:4-7 refers to the angels shouting for joy when the world was created.

But we also see that the angels were also created by God. Col 1:16

That is one of the questions about angels, that we cannot answer---we know that angels were created before the earth and man was created, but we do know how or when.

We do know that angels are still under the authority of God, as we see in Ps. 103:19-21.

We also know that some of the angels did not submit to the authority of God, and as a result, their eternity in Hell has already been sealed. Jude 6 AND THE ANGELS WHICH KEPT NOT THEIR FIRST ESTATE, BUT LEFT THEIR OWN HABITATION, HE HATH RESERVED IN EVERLASTING CHAINS UNDER DARKNESS UNTO THE JUDGMENT OF THE GREAT DAY.

II Pet. 2:4 FOR IF GOD SPARED NOT THE ANGELS THAT SINNED, BUT CAST THEM DOWN TO HELL, AND DELIVERED THEM INTO CHAINS OF DARKNESS, TO BE RESERVED UNTO JUDGMENT…

We see that angels can appear in any fashion that God desires.

As we saw earlier in Col. 1:16, angels are invisible—however, in II Kings 6, God caused his angels to appear as horses pulling chariots.

In Ex 3:2, an angel appeared to Moses in a flame of fire in the burning bush.