A car stalls on the side of the road. The young driver is perplexed as she gets out and pops the hood of her first beloved car that traversed with her from high school to college. Confused more by what she sees under the hood, she steps away from her car, gets her phone out, and begins to call for assistance. As she is doing so, her car begins to catch fire, and smoke starts to billow from her hood as she begins to panic. Just then, a car pulls up, and a woman gets out and begins to help. Her presence calms the young college student as they move to safety and call for authorities. The woman encourages her by letting her know that God is in control. The young college student watches as a fire truck pulls up and begins to put out the fire. Shortly after, police vehicles pull up, and it’s an all-hands-on-deck roadside emergency spectacle. A fireman approaches and asks if she is alright, and as she begins to confirm she was due to the help from the woman who stopped, she turns to look for her, and the woman is nowhere to be found. The woman and her vehicle are gone. The young college student asks the fireman if he saw the woman drive away, and he replied that he only saw her since he's been there. To this day, that young college student attests that she may have encountered an angel. It is stories like these that have caused many to question their current reality. The supernatural fascinates the human intellect, and the subject of angels has been at the top of the list.
The Bible has much to say about angels and how we are to deal with them. They are a part of God’s creation and should be treated as such (Colossians 1:16). However, many people are found praying, worshipping, and even deifying some. The Bible says that God commissions angels to carry out His plans for the saints (Hebrews 1:14). While doing so, they can take shape in human form (Hebrews 13:2, Genesis 18:1-33) to serve the purpose to which God has sent them. They are little higher than us in status, yet they minister to us through God and long to look in the mysteries of salvation (1 Peter 1:12). We are to treat angles as servants just as we are servants. Our Father is clear that we are not to worship angels as do the angels themselves (Colossians 2:18, Revelation 22:8-9).
While the supernatural and angels can be fascinating, the temptation to delve into this subject matter can be dangerous and even foolish to some who do not have a relationship with God through Christ Jesus (1 Corinthians 2: 13-15). Due to this, many have accepted and perpetuated a doctrine that Jesus is, in fact, an angel. While others have degraded angels to spirit guides or masters, the Bible declares that these doctrines are false. This type of thinking did not originate in this day and age, but the Bible states that believers had to contend with this in the church's early days. The first chapter of Hebrews dedicates itself to eradicating this very doctrine. Jesus is not an angel, but He is the source in which all things come to being. He is far above the
angels; He is God in the flesh (Hebrews 1:4). Let us be encouraged by this fact. To be interested in the supernatural is, in many ways, normal and expected. However, be of a sober judgment and sound mind when investigating, understanding that all knowledge of such things should point back to God our Father through Jesus Christ. Let the Bible be the primary source considered, which we know is how the Holy Spirit will guide us.
