It was recently announced that the United Church of God would soon be releasing a new Bible Study aid, which would be on the subject of angels. We all know that God has countless angels, who act as servants, messengers, and warriors. They carry out God’s plan, and provide a most valuable service. We often read in the Bible where angels have delivered messages to God’s people. In some of these instances, we understand that the messenger may have actually been the one who became Jesus Christ.

We know that the Archangel Michael, with the support of other angels, has taken part in spiritual battles with Satan’s army, in bringing about certain world events, to control and limit what takes place in man’s society. Satan is a very powerful being, but he is only capable of going as far as God allows. God’s angels have been sent in to restrict Satan, whenever the end result would otherwise be contrary to the plan of God.

No doubt, angels have a very important and powerful function, and are constantly at work, steering the events of the physical realm to where God wants them to be. But angels often interact with human beings as well. An angel can apparently manifest himself to appear as a man, and communicate with people. Often, one might encounter an angel and not realize that it wasn’t a human being. Sometimes it only becomes obvious after the fact that one has been visited by an angel. More often, it never becomes obvious, and we will never know that an angel has visited us.

Have you ever had an encounter with one from the angelic realm? You may have heard stories about people who interacted with someone who gave them some information that could have saved their life. But when they turn to thank them, they were nowhere in sight! Other times, angels might intervene on our behalf without ever making themselves known. In those cases, we don’t realize, and never will realize, their involvement in our lives. A terrible tragedy may have been averted completely without us being slightly aware of any danger at all.

We know that God watches over us and protects us. We’re aware of the great protection that those who follow God’s laws receive. It’s part of the blessings we’ve been promised. But do we realize what a vast army of individuals have been assigned to safeguard man? Do we give God thanks for giving us such a blessing, as to have our own personal army, looking after us, our family, our friends and loved ones? Since there are times when we don’t recognize the interaction of angels, it’s good to give thanks for their help, even when we don’t see them. Because sometimes we don’t see them at all.

It’s hard to imagine that these powerful beings will be servants for all eternity to the Family of God! That’s us! As resurrected saints, we will have a great task ahead of us, as we begin rebuilding the world, and getting rid of the many aspects of this pagan-influenced society. But we will have angels serving us, and serving the plan of God, as it unfolds throughout the millennium and beyond. Who knows that someday we might just meet an angel who once saved our life, and now he will be working alongside of us to help rebuild the planet! What an awesome future we have ahead of us, as we meet millions, or perhaps billions of beings who have always been faithful to God, and will be for eternity. What an example of faithfulness and loyalty they can be for us now, knowing that we will be even greater than they are, with a higher position, because we were equally faithful. That day can’t come fast enough!

Don McCoy