Dear Hope family,

Thought for the Week

Angels from the Realms of glory.

Luke 1v11 “Then an angel of the Lord appeared to [Zechariah]” (NIV)

As we approach Christmas, I intend to focus each week on key participants in the account of the birth of Jesus. First: the angels!

Angels are fascinating persons, and some have an unhealthy interest in them. God tells us in his word that they are spiritual beings, created by God to serve Him. They sometimes take on a physical resemblance to appear to or serve humans.

Angels appear to 4 different people during the birth of Jesus:

  • Zechariah – Gabriel appears to him about 15 months before Jesus’ birth while he is in the “Holy Place” of the temple. He announces that Zechariah’s wife, Elizabeth, is about to bear a son “John”. He will be “filled with the Holy Spirit” and “prepare the way for the Lord”.
  • Mary – Gabriel appears to her in Nazareth about 9 months before Jesus’ birth. He announces that the Holy Spirit will come upon her and she will conceive a son “Jesus” whose kingdom will never end.
  • Joseph – An angel appears to him in a dream about 7-8 months before Jesus’ birth.  The angel tells Joseph to marry Mary as her baby is of “the Holy Spirit”, and to give the baby the name “Jesus,” because he will save his people from their sins.
  • Shepherds – An angel appears to them in the fields on the night of Jesus’ birth. The angel tells them that “a Saviour has been born to you: he is Christ the Lord.” And then a whole host of angels sing praise to God.

We discussed about angels some months ago in our family time on a Sunday morning, and I recall there were at least a couple of us who seem to have encountered angels in some form. Notice how the intervention of the angels is precisely timed for the situation!

An angel’s fundamental calling and purpose is to serve the Lord God Almighty. This may involve being a messenger to humans, serving us humans (Hebrews 1v14), to protect God’s people (Psalm 91v11 and 34v7), worshipping God (Psalm 103v20) or even for us to serve (Hebrews 13v2) but not for us to worship (Revelation 19v10).

God’s angels always point to God and watch over his people. Opposed to them are the fallen angels of Satan (who is also an angel); they always work against God and his people. The presence of angels in the birth of Jesus reminds us of the spiritual battle that is going on that extends beyond the physical world – and God has plenty of resources to ensure the outcome of that battle. We may only know in eternity the role angels have played in our lives.

Let’s live with confidence in God and his resources to protect us and provide for us, and let’s worship our God with the angels.

With love and blessing,

Roland