THE ROLE OF ANGELS
But to which of the angels has he ever said, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet"? Are not all angels spirits in the divine service, sent to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?  
(Hebrews 1:13-14, NRSV  )
          
Devotion 2 of 11

A VAST NUMBER
     The number of angels, appointed to minister to the heirs of salvation, is staggering! We do well to ponder it for a moment. "The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place" (Psa 68:17). "Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all His hosts" (Psa 148:2). "But ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels" (Heb 12:22). "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).

     The throne room is not sparsely populated! Thousands, millions, many, innumerable! That is how many angels are there--in the presence of the Almighty! And why are they there? These are "all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation." Think no longer of your salvation as a small and inconsequential thing! Bring your heart into accord with the greatness of the redemption that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory! A great number of angels declare a salvation that is correspondingly great! The immensity of our salvation is not to be measured by a relatively large congregation upon earth, but  by a heavenly company that cannot be numbered!

SWIFT IN OBEDIENCE
     If the angels are our ministers, it will be refreshing to learn of their temperament. How responsive are they to our Lord? How quickly do they respond to His bidding? Are they anything like those to whom they minister? Is lethargy found in their ranks? Are they slow to comprehend, and retarded in their response? Indeed, they are not! Hear the Word of the Lord. "Bless the LORD, ye His angels, that excel in strength, that do His commandments, hearkening unto the voice of His word. Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do His pleasure" (Psa 103:20,21). "Who maketh His angels spirits; His ministers a flaming fire" (Psa 104:4). No doubt they play a critical role in the rapid execution of the  Word of the Lord. "He sendeth forth His commandment upon earth: His word  runneth very swiftly" (Psa 147:15).

     The purpose of these texts is to persuade us of the total submission of the angels to the will of God. With them, there are no competitive influences; that is why they do His bidding like flames of fire. Little wonder Jesus taught us to pray God's will would be done on earth, "as it is in heaven" (Matt 6:10). Such things are marvelous to contemplate when faith has taken hold of this truth; they are "all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation." 

PRESENT AT CREATION
     An academic approach to the creation of the world has robbed us of much of its power and glory.  Creation is not the beginning of "mother earth" and surrounding heavenly bodies. It was the launching of the human enterprise, calculated to bring unparalleled glory to the Lord throughout the ages to come.  "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).

     The angels seemed to sense the world was created as an arena for the fulfillment of divine objective. They did not marvel at the creation itself, although it is a marvelous exhibit of divine accomplishment. The whole creation loudly testifies of the glory and majesty of the Lord, and there is no place where its voice is not heard. As it is written, "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard" (Psa 19:1-3). That testimony, however, is more for men than angels. It was the PURPOSE for the cosmos that caused the shout of joy among angelic hosts. The human enterprise was underway! Here was a divine initiative that seemed to excel all before it!

PRAYER POINT: Father, I am thankful for the multitude of heavenly hosts You have assigned to minister to the saints. In the name of Jesus, I ask for grace to join with them in bringing glory to Your matchless name.

-- TOMORROW: HUMANITY IS THE FOCUS --