What Does The Bible Say About Angels Protecting Us?
Angels have captured the fascination and imagination of people for centuries. Their divine origins and mysterious nature have led many to wonder, what does the Bible actually say about angels protecting us?
Getting a biblical understanding of this question requires looking at key passages throughout Scripture that reveal God’s purpose for these heavenly beings.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: The Bible indicates that angels are spiritual beings created by God to serve Him, act as messengers, and sometimes interact with humans. There are examples in the Bible where angels protected and delivered messages to people.
However, the Bible does not guarantee that every believer has a guardian angel.
In this comprehensive article, we will dive deep into Scripture to understand the nature of angels, their responsibilities and capabilities, and how God has used them to help and protect His people at times.
With over 300 references to angels in the Bible, there is much to examine regarding their role and relationship to believers.
The Nature and Role of Angels
According to the Bible, angels are spiritual beings created by God to serve Him and carry out His will. Though powerful, angels are always subject to God and meant to honor and worship Him (Psalm 103:20; Romans 8:38-39).
Angels are mentioned hundreds of times in Scripture with various responsibilities and roles. Here is an overview of the nature and role of these mysterious heavenly beings.
Angels are spiritual beings created by God
Angels are spiritual creatures made by God to serve Him and do His bidding (Psalm 148:2, 5; Colossians 1:16). They are powerful, supernatural beings but are not divine or objects of worship (Exodus 20:3; Revelation 19:10). Angels exist in heaven, in the unseen spiritual realm that surrounds us.
Though invisible to humans under normal circumstances, angels can sometimes appear visibly or in dreams or visions to deliver God’s messages (Luke 1:11-20; Matthew 2:13).
Angels were created by God before He made the physical universe (Job 38:4-7). They were present when God laid the foundations of the earth and rejoiced when He finished creation. They even watched with joy as God created human beings, who are “a little lower than the angels” (Psalm 8:5; Hebrews 2:7).
However, the angels are incapable of fully understanding the wisdom of God, which far surpasses their knowledge (1 Peter 1:12).
Angels have different responsibilities and roles
There are various kinds of angels that God created for specific purposes. Scripture describes cherubim, seraphim, and archangels—each with unique appearances, characteristics, and duties. Cherubim seem to have the role of protecting God’s holiness, while seraphim surround God’s throne in worship and praise (Genesis 3:24; Isaiah 6:1-7; Ezekiel 10).
Archangels such as Michael and Gabriel work as God’s messengers (Luke 1:19, 26; Jude 1:9).
In general, God employs angels to praise Him in heaven (Psalm 148:1-2; Hebrews 1:6-7), serve as His messengers to earth (Luke 1:26; Acts 7:53), and assist, encourage, and protect His people (Hebrews 1:14; Psalm 91:11-12).
Scripture says angels rejoice over every sinner who repents (Luke 15:10) and are curious about God’s plans for humanity and the church (1 Peter 1:12; Ephesians 3:10).
Angels continually worship God in heaven (Revelation 4:8). They do not marry or reproduce (Matthew 22:30). They have great power and knowledge but are not all-knowing like God (2 Samuel 14:20; Matthew 24:36).
Angels interact with humans at times
Angels have appeared to people on occasion throughout Scripture by God’s direction. They often helped clarify God’s promises, guide His people, or deliver His messages. For example, the angels that visited Abraham and Sarah reassured them of their promised son (Genesis 18).
Angels gave guidance to Joseph about the birth of Jesus (Matthew 1:20) and announced Jesus’ birth to the shepherds (Luke 2:9-14).
Hebrews 13:2 encourages us to show hospitality to strangers or people in need because we may be interacting with angels without realizing it. This does not mean angels regularly appear as humans, but the verse acknowledges angels can take human form and interact with people according to God’s will.
God may even use angels to physically rescue or protect people in danger, though this seems to be a rare occurrence (Daniel 3; Acts 12:1-11). But not every mention of an angel in Scripture necessarily refers to a heavenly being.
The term angel or messenger can also apply to human messengers God sends. Several passages mention an “angel of the Lord” that seems to be the pre-incarnate Christ rather than an angel (Genesis 16:7-13; Exodus 3:2).
Examples of Angels Protecting People in the Bible
Angels protecting Lot and family
As recorded in Genesis 19, when God was about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for their grave sins, He sent two angels to warn righteous Lot and his family. The angels urged Lot and his family to quickly flee the city before its destruction.
Lot hesitated, so the angels took him, his wife and two daughters by the hand and led them safely out of the city, telling them to run for the mountains and not look back. Lot’s wife disobeyed and was turned into a pillar of salt. But Lot and his daughters were brought to safety by the angels.
The angel protecting Daniel in the lions’ den
Daniel 6 describes how Daniel continued to pray to God even after prayer was outlawed. As punishment, the Persian King Darius had Daniel thrown into a den of hungry lions. But God sent His angel to shut the lions’ mouths, protecting Daniel from harm.
The next morning when the den was opened, Daniel was completely uninjured. The angel had protected him because he trusted fully in God (Daniel 6:23).
An angel delivering Peter from prison
In Acts 12, Peter was imprisoned by King Herod, awaiting likely execution. The church prayed earnestly to God for him. The night before Herod planned to put Peter on trial, an angel appeared in Peter’s cell, woke him up, caused his chains to fall off, led him safely past the guards and out of the prison gate to freedom.
This angel clearly intervened miraculously in response to fervent prayer (Acts 12:1-17).
Angels protecting Elisha and his servant
Second Kings 6 describes the King of Aram sending horses, chariots and a strong force to capture the prophet Elisha. When Elisha’s servant saw the enemy surrounding them he was terrified. But Elisha prayed “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.”
Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes and he saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around protecting them. These were angels that protected Elisha from harm from the King’s army (2 Kings 6:8-23).
What the Bible Doesn’t Say About Guardian Angels
The concept of guardian angels is popular in modern culture, but the Bible does not specifically state that every person has their own individual guardian angel. Here are some key things the Bible does not say about guardian angels:
You Don’t Have Your Own Personal Guardian Angel
Nowhere in Scripture does it state that every single person is assigned a specific guardian angel to watch over them. The idea of humans having their own personal angel is more influenced by popular culture than biblical truth.
Angels Don’t Have Wings or Halos
The Bible does not describe angels as having wings or halos. These characteristics come from art and media, not Scripture. The Bible presents angels as spiritual beings created by God, but their appearance is not precisely described.
Angels Cannot Read Minds or Perform Miracles
Angels have special capabilities, like great strength and heavenly wisdom, but nowhere does the Bible state they can read human minds or perform miracles. Only God has abilities like omniscience and omnipotence.
Your Life Experiences Don’t Confirm an Angel’s Presence
It’s tempting to attribute a close call to angelic intervention, but nowhere does Scripture encourage identifying angels based on subjective experiences. Belief in angels should come from God’s Word, not unverified personal revelations.
Angels Don’t Work on Their Own Initiative
Contrary to popular books and movies, the Bible does not present angels as autonomous agents. Angels are spiritual servants created to carry out God’s will, not acting on their own initiative or making independent decisions.
The Bible affirms angels exist and sometimes have interactions with people, but many prevalent ideas about them come from extra-biblical sources rather than Scripture itself. When forming doctrine, it’s wise to carefully discern what God’s Word truly reveals and teaches about angels.
God’s Sovereign Protection Over His People
God’s protection is not dependent on angels
The Bible teaches that God’s protection and deliverance ultimately comes from His own power and authority, not that of angels. As the sovereign Lord of all, God alone has the capability to fully guard and deliver His people (Deuteronomy 32:39).
Scripture contains many examples of God shielding His people without mentioning angels playing a role (2 Kings 19:35, Daniel 3:25-28). Ultimately, believers should put their trust and hope in God’s strength rather than seeking the aid of angels (Psalm 20:7).
Examples of God’s deliverance without angels
There are several prominent stories in the Bible where God dramatically protects His people without any mention of angels. For example, when Elisha was surrounded by the armies of Aram in the city of Dothan, God struck the enemy forces with blindness and led Elisha to safety without angelic help (2 Kings 6:8-23).
Additionally, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego emerged unharmed after being thrown into a blazing furnace for refusing to worship false idols, with no angels indicated as intervening, but only the presense of the Son of God protecting them (Daniel 3:25-28).
These stories display God’s awesome power to preserve His people when they trust in Him.
Trusting in God’s power rather than angels
While Scripture confirms angels minister to believers at times (Psalm 91:11-12), the Bible warns against worshiping angels or trusting in them rather than God (Colossians 2:18, Revelation 19:10). Believers should remember that angels are finite created beings, while the Lord Most High has infinite authority and might to protect His children.King David declared “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God” (Psalm 20:7).
Our faith should be rooted in confidence of God’s power, not lesser spiritual beings. When we rely on the Almighty’s strength, we can be assured of His sovereign protection.
Conclusion
While stories of angels protecting and delivering God’s people can be encouraging, the Bible does not promise that every believer has a guardian angel. Scripture is clear that God accomplishes His sovereign will with or without the agency of angels.
He alone has the power to protect, provide, and care for His children. Rather than seeking angels, believers are called to seek the Lord Jesus Christ and trust the sufficient grace He provides in every circumstance.
The biblical examples of angels protecting God’s people serve as reminders of God’s attentiveness more than prescriptions for how He will work today. God is not limited in the ways He can accomplish His will.
While angels reveal aspects of God’s nature and care, He invites us to come to Him rather than relying on lesser spiritual beings. He promises to guard the hearts and minds of those who hope in Him (Philippians 4:7).
That promise still stands sure today and is our confidence in God’s eternal protection and care.
