For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
God’s angels helping good men on earth
I. God has angels at His command.
1. Spiritual existences.
2. Full of vitality.
3. Mighty in power.
4. Rich in knowledge.
5. Countless in number.
6. Vast in variety.
Spirits differ from spirits as plant from plant, star from star. They differ in nature, in the kind and measure of faculty. In experience. Some are older and more intelligent than others. In office. From Gabriel, who “stands in the presence of God,” down to that spirit next in degree to man. There are principalities and powers amongst them.
II. God employs His angels to help good men on earth.
1. Human life has many “ways.” There is the way of the boy, the way of the man, the way of the husband, the way of the father, the way of the merchant, the citizen, the statesman.
2. These “ways” are perilous. There are stumbling-stones at every step; temptations to infidelity, insensibility, dishonesty, falsehood, revenge, etc.
3. God sends His angels to help the good in all these “ways.” They impart--
(1) Sustaining power.
(2) Conquering power.
III. Conclusion. If angels are thus engaged in helping good men on earth, the following things may be inferred:--
1. That there must be some method by which they can communicate with man. What is this method? What is that which is the great sustaining and conquering power in man? Thought. Thought makes the man. May not angels have the power of suggesting thoughts--strengthening and all-conquering thoughts?
2. That the spiritual interests of man must be supremely important.
3. That it is consonant with the highest dignity to minister to the lowly.
4. That it is a profound disgrace to man that he should feel so little interest in the spiritual concerns of his brother. If angels are thus concerned for us, should we not be doubly so for ourselves?
5. That the humblest Christians may take courage. (Homilist.)
Angelic protection in appointed ways
I. There are ways which are not in the promise. “All thy ways” are mentioned; but some tracks are not to be followed by children of God, and are not their ways.
1. Ways of presumption. In these men court danger, and, as it were, defy God (Matthew 4:6).
2. Ways of sin, dishonesty, lying, vice, worldly conformity, etc. We have no permit to bow in the house of Rimmon (Ephesians 5:12).
3. Ways of worldliness, selfishness, greed, ambition. The ways by which men seek personal aggrandizement are usually dark, and crooked, and are not of God (Proverbs 28:22; 1 Timothy 6:9).
4. Ways of pride, self-conceit, boastful promisings, pretended perfection, etc. “Pride goeth before destruction.”
5. Ways of will worship, wilfulness, obstinacy, fancy, day-dreaming absurd impulse, etc. (Jeremiah 2:18).
6. Ways of erroneous doctrine, novel practice, fashionable ceremonial, flattering delusion, etc. (2 Timothy 3:5).
II. There are ways in which safety is guaranteed.
1. The way of humble faith in the Lord Jesus.
2. The way of obedience to Divine precepts.
3. The way of childlike trust in providential guidance.
4. The way of strict principle, and stern integrity.
5. The way of consecrated service, and seeking God’s glory.
6. The way of holy separation, and walking with God.
III. These ways lead us into varied conditions.
1. They are changeful and varied: “all Thy ways.”
2. They are sometimes stony with difficulty: “foot against a stone.”
3. They may be terrible with temptation.
4. They may be mysteriously trying. Devils may throng the path--only to be met by holy angels.
5. They are essentially safe, while the smooth and easy roads are perilous.
IV. But while walking in them all believers are secure.
1. The Lord Himself concerns Himself about them:--“He shall give His angels charge over thee.” He will personally command those holy beings to have an eye to His children.
2. Mysterious agencies protect them: angels bear them up in their hands, as nurses carry little children. Wonderful tenderness and power! Angels acting as servants to men!
3. All things are on their side, both visible and invisible. Command is laid on all to protect the saints (Psalms 71:3).
4. Each one is personally watched over. “Charge over thee to keep thee” (Isaiah 42:6; Genesis 28:15).
5. That watchfulness is perpetual--“All thy ways” (Psalms 121:3-4).
6. This guard also confers honour. How noble a thing to have the courtiers of heaven for a corps de garde!
7. All this comes to them by Jesus, whose the angels are, and whom they serve (Isaiah 43:4).
V. Lessons.
1. See how the lowest employment is consistent with the highest enjoyment:--Keeping guard over the Lord’s stumbling children is no discredit to angels.
2. How cheerfully we should watch over others! How vigorously should we hold them up whenever it is in our power. To cast off a stumbling brother is not angelic, but the reverse.
3. How safe we ought to feel, how fully trustful we ought to be. Alexander slept soundly, “for,” said he, “Parmenio wakes.”
4. How holy we should be with such holy ones for watchers! Great privileges involve heavy responsibilities. (C. H. Spurgeon.)