CELESTIAL SOLDIERS

“Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens” (Ephesians 6:12). There is a battle raging around us. It’s unseen, but it’s real.

Just as the devil attacked Jesus with temptations and tests, the evil one and his demons are waging war against us. But take heart, we are not alone in this struggle. Angels fight on our behalf for right and righteousness.

Proof of this reality can be found in Second Kings. Elisha was God’s faithful prophet, so the evil Syrian King hated him and sent his army to capture him. When Elisha’s servant rose in the early morning, he gasped at the sight of the Syrian “army with horses and chariots surrounding the city” (2 Kings 6:15). When Elisha looked out, he comforted his faithful friend. “ ‘Don’t be afraid, for those who are with us outnumber those who are with them.’

Then Elisha prayed, ‘Lord, please open his eyes and let him see.’ So the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw that the mountain was covered with horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (2 Kings 6:16-17). The mighty angelic army became visible!

In the Garden of Gethsemane, when the religious establishment came to arrest Jesus, Peter jumped to Jesus’ defense and brandished a sword. I can imagine Jesus saying, “Peter, put away your machete! This is all part of My eternal plan. Don’t you know that I could “call on my Father, and he will provide me here and now with more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53). A Roman legion of soldiers included 6,000 soldiers. Jesus had at least 72,000 mighty angels who would have sprung into action at Jesus’ command. Remember, Jesus is “Commander of the Lord’s Army” (Joshua 5:15).

Jesus commands a great army of angels who battle on our behalf. But, let’s take a glance at just one angel. On the morning that our Lord burst out of His grave, “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”(Matthew 28:2-4). A quick glance at a single angel turned the knees of mighty Roman soldiers to Jello.

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I’m glad that these celestial soldiers are on our side!

“… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV).