Angels

St. Matthew 18 :10

" Take heed that you despise not one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels do continually behold the face of my Father who is in the heavens."

    One of the early church fathers comments on this in looking at the whole passage of Matthew 18," A believer is called not only a servant of God but also a son through the grace of adoption to whom the kingdom of heaven and the company of angels is promised."  Jesus had said the greatest in the kingdom of heaven would be like a little child.

     We are humbled as we are reminded of the existence of angels in the work of our salvation.  They are instruments of good to God's people and are " ministering spirits for those to inherit salvation." Hebrews 1:14  The number of angels is great, " thousands thousands ...and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened." Daniel 7:10

    They execute judgment upon the enemies of God , Acts 12:23, " immediately the angel of the Lord smote him (Herod) because he gave not God the glory."  One of the foremost theologians at Princeton seminary of a former generation A A Hodge believes they have spiritual bodies much like the redeemed in heaven.  In Genesis 18 of course they ate and drank with Abraham as ordinary men.

     The angels have mighty power 2 Thessalonians 1:7, and of course we know that there are orders and ranks of angels as well.  Gabriel is talked about in Luke 1:19 , " I am Gabriel who stand before God...and I was sent to speak ...and to announce glad tidings to thee." ( Zacharias)  Michael is spoken of as the chief angel, Daniel 10:13 and as we heard in our Epistle reading, " Michael and his angels fought against the dragon...and the dragon and his angels prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven." Revelation 12:7

       We are encouraged this day to rejoice in the reality and presence of angels among us to realize that we are not alone in our struggles and efforts.  Even as we have been reminded as Jesus said in the Gospel of Matthew the little ones have angels.  " I say to you that their angels in the heavens continually behold the face of my Father who is in the heavens."

    The point of all this is that we should humble ourselves as this little child. Our Lord is pointing to the greatness of children and us too as believers who have a trusting humble child-like faith in God. " Who is then the greater in the kingdom of the heavens?....Jesus set a little child in their midst, and said, ' Verily I say unto you, unless ye are converted and become as little children, in no wise shall ye enter the kingdom of heaven.' "

     " Therefore what children are in their simplicity , let us become through a holy way of life, as children innocent of sin. And quite rightly, one who has become a child innocent of sin in this way is greater in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives such a person will receive Christ." ( Epiphanius the Latin, Interpretation of the Gospels.)