Proclaim the gospel to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Shalom and welcome to the Everlasting Nation, a radio ministry of International Board of Jewish Missions. This is Mark Oshman with the International Board of Jewish Missions, bringing you another radio Bible program. Starting with today's session, we take a look at the role of angels in the Bible. The Bible posits the existence of angels. Indeed, both the Old Testament and the New Testament contained accounts about how angelic beings interacted with God and with people. Yet some individuals remain confused about angels, their appearance, what they do. In the first chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews, The author described angels as ministering spirits. Such a description depicted both the nature and the function of angelic beings. Angels are spirit. By nature, they do not possess tangible bodies like human beings have. Granted that when angels appeared to men and women in the Bible, they manifested themselves in human forms. However, by definition, a spirit does not possess a corporeal essence. The primary assignment of angels was to serve God. In Psalm 103, for instance, the writer mentioned that God's angels, quote, do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word, unquote. This raises an interesting question. Does any individual have a guardian angel? A specific heavenly entity watching over him? The Bible does not explicitly teach this doctrine, yet some passages imply that such an arrangement might indeed exist. In Matthew Chapter 18, for instance, the Savior warned his disciples to quote, Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones, for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven." Such a passage implied that while angels seem to watch out for the well-being of children, no child has a specific guardian angel. Nor did the reference to Peter's angel in Acts chapter 12 suggest that God assigned certain angels to guard individual believers. Angels had a reputation for wisdom. On two occasions, in 2 Samuel chapter 14 and 2 Samuel chapter 19, on those occasions an individual compared King David to an angel of God, this in connection with the king's understanding and his discretion. Angels did not engage in activities which were common to human societies. For example, Jesus Christ declared that angels did not get married, a statement recorded in Mark chapter 12. The Savior added in Luke chapter 20 that angels did not die. Despite the reference to manna as being angels' food, that allusion found in Psalms 78, angels do not need to eat or drink. Whenever a person saw an angel, That individual initially reacted with fright. The angel who appeared to Daniel in Daniel chapter 10 reassured him by telling that prophet not to become apprehensive. After the priest Zechariah beheld Gabriel standing in the temple, according to the first chapter of Luke's gospel, the very first words Gabriel uttered were these, fear not. No, angels are not figments of someone's imagination, nor are they spectral apparitions. Angels function as servants of God. They draw their authority from God, and they receive their commission to act directly from God. Angels are real. This is Mark Oshman with the International Board of Jewish Missions, bringing you another radio Bible program. You've been listening to The Everlasting Nation, a ministry of International Board of Jewish Missions. For more information, you can contact us at 423-876-8150 or go online to ibjm.org. Until next time, may God bless and Shalom.