Angels: What Are Their Purpose?

Are angels our protectors, such as guardian angels? Or, are they messengers like what the word angel means, or both? See Psalm 91, for clarification:

For He shall give His angels charge over You, to keep You in all Your ways. They shall bear You up in their hands, that You not dash Your foot on a stone. –Psalm 91:11-12

Satan quotes this in Matthew when Jesus is tempted. This in no way makes God's promise in Psalm 91 any less a promise. There is a limitation, though. I've bolded it above. As I see it, if we Christians step outside God's ways, then we succumb to God’s discipline. Jesus never stepped outside God's ways but was perfect in every way. We humans are being sanctified, certainly, but we fail miserably along the way because we are not perfect, although the Holy Spirit does complete us now because of His indwelling, the Old Testament saints did not have that completion. However…

Isn't it fascinating and telling that Satan left out the part where angels were to keep Jesus in all God’s ways when quoting Psalm 91 to Jesus? What exactly does that mean? Jesus was fully God just as He was fully human, so why did He need angels to keep Him in God's ways?

Matthew 4:6 And he said to Him, If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it has been written: “He shall give His angels charge concerning You, and they shall bear You on their hands, lest You strike Your foot against a stone.”

Jesus promptly replies in Matthew 4:7 Jesus said to him, Again it has been written: “You shall not tempt the Lord your God.” (Deuteronomy 6:16)

This is so amazing to me. The Word stopped Satan dead in his deceitful tracks. Jesus never stopped quoting what was written. And the angels will not only protect us, but it is their duty to help us continue to walk in the ways of God.

I love what Matthew Henry says about how tenderly the angels bear up the saints out of danger, like a nurse (or mommy) gathering up her child in her arms. That is deep affection. Why would angels have this kind of affection for us? What is it about us that gives angels this tender feeling?

It is our love for God's Son.

They love Him, too. The angels understand more than we can while we are of flesh and bone just how wonderful it is that Jesus came to earth to walk among us; and all that He gave up to do that. They understand how marvelous Heaven is; and how bright and glorious it is. They understood and marveled that the Father willingly gave His Son as sacrifice for the world’s sin. Angels saw for the first time since the beginning of time just how dark sin made the world when Jesus was nailed to the cross and stayed there so that we might live with Him in Light.

Can you imagine the joy and the rejoicing in Heaven when Jesus rose from the dead? Can you imagine how glorious was the tumult there? God's Son the Victor over sin and death! Can’t you just see how the angels shot into the sky, their three-day vigil was over and the tomb was empty! Can you see how their jubilation sloshed all over Heaven? That is an amazing vision for me.

Jesus rose! The tombstones rumbled and saints who had died walked out of them, returning to their families. Hugs and exclamations abounded. Too much excitement and no time for many explanations. Then, witnesses gathered to hear the story of how the Jesus had led them all from Abraham’s bosom. They had been comforted there, but the blood sacrifice still not paid and therefore still slaves of death until that glorious morning when up from the grave He arose. He is a mighty Conqueror; and King of the universe. Our beloved, our betrothed, our kinsman redeemer. Amen.

Psalm 8:1 To the chief musician, on the harp. A Psalm of David. O Jehovah, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth; You have set Your glory above the heavens!