proclaiming 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, presenting another radio Bible study. As we look at the role of angels in the Bible, we note that God employed angels to protect and defend his children from impending harm. Perhaps that explained why some people believe in the existence of specific guardian angels. Psalm 91 contained a major passage relating to this angelic ministry. Quote, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against the stone, unquote. Note that the devil cited this particular verse to Jesus Christ. during the Savior's temptation in the wilderness. Satan tried to entice the Savior from jumping off the pinnacle of the temple. However, this verse did not apply specifically to the promised Messiah. Rather, this passage in Psalm 91 denoted how God would watch over those who know his name, those who set their love upon him and who call upon him. As Jacob returned from Padan Aram to Canaan, as described in the book of Genesis. The angels of God met him on his journey. Perhaps God dispatched these messengers to assist the patriarch in his impending encounter with his estranged brother Esau. 2 Kings chapter 6 contains a specific account of angelic protection of God's people. The king of Syria had sent horses and chariots to the city of Dothan, intending to capture the prophet Elisha. When that prophet's servant beheld the assembled Syrian armies, he became frightened. Elisha reassured him to, quote, fear not, for they that be with us are more than they that be with them, unquote. After the prophet asked God to open the servant's eyes, the latter men saw that, quote, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha, unquote. These forces could have depicted the angelic heavenly host, dispatched by God specifically to protect his servant, Elisha. Daniel chapter 6 recorded another incident where an angel defended one of God's servants. The Medo-Persian king, Darius, had issued an edict forbidding anyone from making petitions to any source other than himself. Daniel, as was his custom, publicly prayed to God in defiance of that decree. and the monarch had Daniel cast into a den of lions. The morning afterward, Darius came to the site and asked whether God had spared Daniel from a gory death. The prophet replied that, quote, my God had sent his angel and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me, unquote. God had thereby miraculously preserved Daniel's life. God apparently designated the archangel Michael as the protector of the Jewish nation as an entity. An angelic emissary sent to Daniel referred to Michael in Daniel chapter 12 as, quote, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people, unquote. Perhaps Michael's disputation with the devil over the body of Moses, an argument to which Jude alluded in his book, Perhaps Michael's disputation with the devil over the body of Moses had a connection with that archangel's guardianship of the Jewish nation. Finally, we turn our attention to Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. He asked his enemies who had come out against him, quote, thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my father? And he shall presently give me more than 12 legions of angels, unquote. The Lord knew that the angels would protect him if he called upon them to do so. He understood the role of angels as protectors and defenders. This is Mark Oshman with the International Board of Jewish Missions presenting 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.