The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,

    and he delivers them.

(“GOD’s angel sets up a circle of protection around us while we pray” The Message).

There is much more to reality than what we can see!

In Genesis 32: 1,2 we read: “Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him. When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim.” ‘Mahanaim’ means ‘two camps.’ Jacob saw that angels were camped where he was camped.

‘…the holy angels do us more good offices every day than we are aware of’ (Matthew Henry).

“The angel of the Lord”  is a term regularly used in the Old Testament for God Himself, come down to earth. For example, look at Genesis 16:11 and 13, where, appearing to Hagar, the Angel of the Lord spoke to her about the Lord and yet was the Lord. In Bible College we were taught that these ‘Theophanies’ may well have been pre-incarnational appearances of Jesus. There are Old Testament intimations of diversity within the unity of the Godhead.

Perhaps, because we see this angel as “commander of the army of the LORD” in Joshua 5:14, we are to regard him as surrounding God’s people with angelic legions who are under his leadership. Kidner makes the lovely comment that “Elisha may have based his certainty that ‘those who are with us are more than those who are with them’, on this promise itself, when he asked that his servant might have visual proof of it.” (See 2 Kings 6:15ff). (He is, of course, referring to Ps.34:7).

‘We little know how many providential deliverances we owe to those unseen hands which are charged to bear us up lest we dash our foot against a stone.’ C.H.Spurgeon, ‘Treasury of David’.

“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14).

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we are truly grateful for all the ways you protect us and minister to our needs. Thank you that reality is so much bigger than anything we can observe. But you see it all, and rule over all. We are content to be in your Hands.