How did Jesus interact with angels while He was here on earth?
At the very beginning of Jesus’ earthy ministry, Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness. During those intense days, while Jesus was “tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15), mankind’s arch enemy emptied his arsenal of arrows, enticements, and nasty tricks. At the end, Jesus dismissed the defeated combatant with, “Go away, Satan!” ... “Then the devil left him, and angels came and began to serve him” (Matthew 4:10-11).
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus slipped into the night to pray. “Being in anguish, he prayed more fervently, and his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground” ... “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me—nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:40-41). The One who spoke the world into existence, the One who stilled the winds and waves, the One who healed the leper and gave sight to the blind, beseeched His Father’s throne. In response, “an angel from heaven appeared to him, strengthening him” (Luke 22:43).
On the first Easter Sunday morning, two of Heaven’s emissaries were present at the tomb. “As the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to view the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, because an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and approached the tomb. He rolled back the stone and was sitting on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. The guards were so shaken by fear of him that they became like dead men.” Courageous and confident military men, well-trained and well-equipped Roman guards, fainted in fear at the sight of the angel. But kindly and compassionately, “the angel told the women, ‘Don’t be afraid, because I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here. For he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay’ ” (Matthew 28:1–6). Angels, dressed in “dazzling clothes” (Luke 24:4), rolled the huge stone away from the tomb, and an angel announced the resurrection! “Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:5).
Even on the Mount of Ascension, as Jesus triumphantly returned to His Heavenly home, His mission fully accomplished, angels attended. After giving the disciples the Great Commission, “He was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going, they were gazing into heaven, and suddenly two men in white clothes stood by them. They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen him going into heaven’ ” (Acts 1:9–11). The “two men in white clothes,” obviously angels, promised that Jesus will return to earth, accompanied by angels, to receive His beloved bride. “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God... then we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17).
I’m anxious to lay my eyes on an angel... but my heart longs to catch a glimpse of the One who died on Calvary’s Cross, the One who overcame death and the grave, the One who redeemed my enslaved soul, my Savior, my Shepherd, my King. One day I’ll shake hands or bump fists with another created being, an angel, and together, side-by-side, we’ll worship Jesus!
All Scripture quotations, except as otherwise noted, are from
Holman Bible Publishers’ Christian Standard Bible.
