Guardian angels

1) What if Satan had enough angels to assign a personal evil angel to agitate every Christian?

2) What if Satan not only had enough angels for this task, but he actually assigned an evil angel to each child of God?

3) Every day an evil angel would be waiting in the shadows to injure and afflict a Christian.

4) This is now how we generally think of angels. People usually have a very different outlook.

5) Instead of believing there are angels ready to harm, many believe in guardian angels.

a) Many have come to believe there are good angels who guard the children of God.

b) Some religious groups have this as an official “church doctrine.”

c) In the church we can find some who believe in guardian angels and some who do not.

6) Tonight our goal is to find out what the Bible says about guardian angels.

7) We will look at most of the texts commonly used to support guardian angels.

8) One of the typical “guardian angel” verses in the Bible is found in Ps. 34.

a) Some Psalms seem to offer information about their historical circumstances.

b) People have tried to figure out the background for some of the psalms

c) In this case Ps. 34 is attributed to David.

d) It is believed that it describes the time when he appeared before a king and acted like a mad man.

e) If this incident is correct, the reference goes back to 1 Sam. 21:10-15.

f) David was fleeing from King Saul and sought protection from the king of Gath.

g) David was wearing the sword he had taken from Goliath, and he showed up in the giant’s home town.

h) That was the worst place he could have fled to for refuge.

i) David went to the wrong place for refuge, but his life was still preserved.

9) Ps. 34 is divided into two basic sections.

a) In the first ten verses we find David offering praises to God.

b) Then in verses 11-22 there is information about righteousness; obey God and be blessed.

10) The text that is of interest to us is verse 7 –READ.

a) It is from this passage that some have found support for mankind having “guardian angels.”

b) We can immediately see why this passage is used in conjunction with this point.

11) We have the word “angel,” the word “encamps,” and the word “delivers.”

a) If Christians do have guardian angels, this passage is the wrong verse to use.

b) In earlier studies we examined the expression “the angel of Jehovah.”

c) It was shown that this is a special expression that describes deity.

d) It is most likely a reference to Jesus in the Old Testament period.

e) Jesus did protect people under the Old Testament period.

f) This is a very different subject from an individual guardian angel for God’s people.

12) David was delivered, but his delivery did not come from an angel.

a) If Ps. 34 has the background we described, we know the basic facts of David’s escape.

b) He had to pretend to be crazy to get away.

c) 1 Sam. 21:13 says David scratched on the doors of the gate and let saliva fall down on his beard.

d) David acted in ways that were weird and gross.

e) His craziness is given as the basis for his escape.

13) David was involved with deceit; he “feigned” (1 Sam. 21:13) madness.

14) Are good angels involved with deceit and trickery to deliver God’s people from harm?

15) Will a holy God use His servants in an unholy way to rescue the saved? No.

16) David did state a true point about the angel of Jehovah, but the text does not deal with guardian angels.

17) If Ps. 34 is not used to prove a belief in guardian angels Ps. 91:11-12 might.

a) These verses are very similar to Ps. 34:7; they speak of angels instead of the Angel of Jehovah.

b) They also refer to angels having “charge” over people.

c) Angels are said to “bear up” people so their feet are not hurt.

d) Here is the exact wording – Ps. 91:11-12 – READ.

18) Unlike Ps. 34, we are not given any hint about the circumstances for this Psalm.

a) We must therefore carefully examine the context.

b) In the first four verses we find information about protection.

c) Heaven offers protection like a mother would care for her child.

d) Some of what is said in this Psalm is definitely figurative – verse 13 – READ.

19) How many of the people we know walk on lions and deadly snakes?

20) The context is that God helps protect His people during difficult times.

21) How is God going to do that? The answer is found back in verse 11.

22) Notice from this passage that “angels” is plural - “give his angels charge over thee.”

23) If I understand the concept of guardian angels, it is a “one-on-one” proposition.

a) There is one good angel assigned to a single Christian.

b) That is not what we find in this passage.

c) Here the idea is more general; God will watch out and help His people.

d) Might God use angels to accomplish that? Yes.

e) Might God use more than one angel to do that? Yes.

f) Does God watching out for His people mean we have a personal angel? No.

24) When people speak of a personal “guardian angel” they open a very dangerous door.

25) If we have an individual guardian angel, who would we be inclined to really trust?

26) Would our trust be in God, or in an angel assigned to protect us?

27) The guardian angel doctrine usually leads people to have more faith in angels than God.

28) If our trust is in God, then we may trust in His help no matter what form it takes.

29) We do not need a personal, guardian angel because we trust in God.

30) Too, if angels were used to help the people of God, how many would we like to have?

31) Would our preference be one helper or more than one?

32) I think most would prefer “more than one” in times of true distress and anxiety.

33) In Ps.91 this is what we see; when God’s people face difficult times God stands ready to offer aid.

34) Rather than the promise of a single angel, the promise is plural.

a) If a personal angel were the best arrangement for us, God would surely work things in that way.

b) Thus far that is not what we are finding in this study.

c) No where do we find a personal angel for each individual.

d) We can, however, find the idea of angels being used to help people in times of distress.

35) In addition to using verses from the Old Testament, New Testament verses also need to be studied.

36) When thinking about guardian angels one of the best known passages is Mt. 18:10.

a) This has been called the “sugar stick verse” for those who believe in guardian angels.

b) Jesus gave some of the context for this passage in the first 5 verses of Mt. 18 – READ.

37) We might like to think that as Jesus was with His disciples, everyone got along just fine.

38) People are people. There were times when things did not always go too swell among the disciples.

39) On this occasion Jesus’ helpers wanted to know who would be greatest in the kingdom.

40) Here were grown ups who were concerned about what they would get in the Kingdom.

a) Today when we find problems in the church—and we will—they should not surprise us.

b) People are still people.

41) Since this question had been asked, Jesus responded to it and He gave an illustration.

a) He took a “little child” (verse 2) and put that child in the midst of the group.

b) Jesus said the disciples must “become as little children” if they wanted the kingdom (verse 3).

c) The words child and children are being used in two separate ways in Mt. 18.

d) There is the literal sense (small children).

e) There is also a second meaning: adults who need to be childlike in many of their qualities.

42) Keeping this background in mind, let’s move to verse 10 – READ.

a) A judgment must be made about who the “little ones” are.

b) Does this expression refer to small children or adults who are to have childlike qualities?

c) I favor the view that adults are under consideration.

d) It is possible that Jesus had in mind children or children and adults with childlike qualities.

e) Whoever is being described, Jesus said these people have “angels.”

43) For many this is all they need to see – Mt. 18:10 proves the existence of guardian angels.

44) We can understand why someone might conclude this, but a snap judgment is premature.

45) For instance, where are these angels said to be located? Jesus said they are in “heaven.”

a) Where do people face danger? We face problems on the earth.

b) If we have protectors, it would seem that the protectors would be where we are (i.e. on earth).

c) Jesus said the angels He had in mind are not on the earth; they are “in heaven.”

d) Why would guardian angels, if such do exist, be in heaven and not on the earth?

46) Notice also this point: “one of these little ones……..their angels.”

47) Jesus speaks of just one individual and then says angels ( plural).

48) This does not square at all with what is commonly understood as a guardian angel.

49) It does agree with what we saw in Ps. 91.

50) Jesus did not say these angels are guardian angels, but He did say these angels are interested in man.

a) We can better understand the thought if we think back to the information we viewed in the Psalms.

b) God is the one who protects and helps His people.

c) Many times God helps His people providentially (within the boundaries of natural law).

d) He can use angels to carry out some of heaven’s will.

e) Angels can carry out God’s providential help as we learned from Heb. 1:14.

51) The key lesson from Mt. 18:1-10 is not guardian angels; it is have trust God.

52) At a later time I want to look at logical objections to guardian angels.

53) Tonight let me share this with you.

54) Did you know that there is actually a “guardian angel prayer”?

55) There is, and this is how it goes:

56) Angel of God, my guardian dear

57) To whom God's love commits me here.

58) Ever this day/night be at my side

59) To light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.

60) Who is such a prayer directed to? An angel.

61) Who does the Bible direct us to pray to? The Father through Jesus Christ the Son.

62) A basic understanding of man should tell us why the Bible does not promise guardian angels.

63) If this were true many would be tempted to trust in (and pray to) the angel when trouble arises.

64) God has not told us to trust in an angel; we have been told to trust in God alone.

65) We hope this is the choice you have made with your life.