Board index ‹ Angels

[Plain Jain]

Just that. Does anyone believe in guardian angels?

[Breneman]

I do. Psalm 91 seems to suggest they protect people. And Hebrews 1, too.

[Killebrew]

Angels can be assigned a specific task and that could be to protect people, etc. But I don't believe there is a certain relationship that is built between a human and an angel. I don't believe it's clearly explained.

[jimwalton]

Psalm 91.11-12 are the only verses in the Bible that speak of so-called "guardian angels." There's no indication in those verses, however, that specific individual angels are assigned to specific individual humans to guard them. It just speaks in a general way about God protecting us in general, using angels as the mechanism of that action on earth.

The ancient world believed in deities (rather than angels) protecting people. The Mesopotamians believed the gods offered special care or protection to their subjects. That protection was against demon powers who were thought to the be cause of illness and trouble, as well as against magic spells and hexes that could be pronounced against individuals. The Israelites certainly believed in the reality of the demon world, but the writer of the Psalm isn't necessarily sharing all those beliefs. What he is saying in very general terms is that God protects those who are his—but even this is in a proverbial way, not guaranteed protection that no believer will ever have any troubles.

Hebrews 1.14 mentions that angels are servants of God to do some of his work in the world, which would certainly include certain aspects of protection. That statement still doesn't claim that we have individual guardians who constantly watch over us. The point of the statement in Hebrews 1 is not to convince us of guardian angels but to show us that they are servants, not rulers, and hence subservient to, inferior to, and submissive to Jesus. Angels in Hebrews 1.14 are occupied in a ministry directed towards the salvation of people. The focus of God's plan is on salvation more so than protection.

The book of Daniel (10.12-15, 20-11.1; 12.1ff.) indicates that nations had supernatural creatures of represented the interests of the nation in a "heavenly council," so to speak.

So we conclude that God is assuredly active in the world, that he intervenes sometimes directly, sometimes through the activity of angels, and sometimes also through the activity of people. He does protect certain individuals at certain times through various means, though he is not obligated to do so. That we each have an individual angel watching over us is unlikely, but I'd have to say that angels, as agents of God, are involved at times in parts of our lives.

[Righteous One]

>Psalm 91.11-12 are the only verses in the Bible that speak of so-called "guardian angels." There's no indication in those verses, however, that specific individual angels are assigned to specific individual humans to guard them. It just speaks in a general way about God protecting us in general, using angels as the mechanism of that action on earth.

Psalm 34:7 is also possibly relevant. Matthew 18:10 indicates some correspondence of angels to people.

[jimwalton]

You're right that Ps. 34.7 is only possibly relevant. It could just be figurative that God protects those who fear him, not specifically that an angel accompanies each of God's people. I would be prone to accept the former far more than the latter.

You're also probably right about Mt. 18.10, though the verse could also simply mean that the angels take an interest in the welfare of God's people, as in Heb. 1.14. We at least know that the Father has a special place in his heart for children, as he does for the poor and oppressed.

Thanks for the additions/corrections to my thoughts.

[Plain Jain]

Thank you for your response! I am a Christian who had a period of deviant behavior which ended because of an event I feel was divine intervention. Now I actively pray and see how God intervenes and answers prayers. I am just mystified over interventions on my behalf that I did not pray for. There is a possibility someone else prayed on my behalf without me knowing. But my life was changed so much for the better that I just wondered about the possibility of angels helping or God intervening.

[jimwalton]

I wouldn't be surprised at all if it were divine intervention. God is certainly devoted to making us holy, to discipline us where necessary, to teach us, and to bring us closer to Himself. I have seen his work many times in my life also, as we all have. You talk about interventions on your behalf that you didn't pray for. Isn't it amazing to watch God at work around us? It's obviously possible that someone prayed, and it's also possible that God just stepped into your life at your particular point of need.

According to the Bible, God definitely uses angels to do his work on earth, and he also intervenes directly. I'm just not sure about the "guardian angel" thing. Maybe, maybe not. My tendency would be to say "no," but hey.