And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. The angels of God met him - Our word angel comes from the Greek αγγελος aggelos, which literally signifies a messenger; or, as translated in some of our old Bibles, a tidings-bringer. The Hebrew word מלאך malach, from לאך laach, to send, minister to, employ, is nearly of the same import; and hence we may see the propriety of St. Augustine's remark: Nomen non naturae sed officii, "It is a name, not of nature, but of office;" and hence it is applied indifferently to a human agent or messenger, 2 Samuel 2:5; to a prophet, Haggai 1:13; to a priest, Malachi 2:7; to celestial spirits, Psalms 103:19, Psalms 103:20, Psalms 103:22; Psalms 104:4. "We often," says Mr. Parkhurst, "read of the מלאך יהוה malach Yehovah, or מלאכי אלהים malakey Elohim, the angel of Jehovah, or the angels of God, that is, his agent, personator, mean of visibility or action, what was employed by God to render himself visible and approachable by flesh and blood." This angel was evidently a human form, surrounded or accompanied by light or glory, with or in which Jehovah was present; see Genesis 19:1, Genesis 19:12, Genesis 19:16; Judges 13:6, Judges 13:21; Exodus 3:2, Exodus 3:6. "By this vision," says Mr. Ainsworth, "God confirmed Jacob's faith in him who commanded his angels to keep his people in all their ways, Psalms 91:11. Angels are here called God's host, camp, or army, as in wars; for angels are God's soldiers, Luke 2:13; horses and chariots of fire, 2 Kings 2:11; fighting for God's people against their enemies, Daniel 10:20; of them there are thousand thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand, Daniel 7:10; and they are all sent forth to minister for them that shall be heirs of salvation, Hebrews 1:14; and they pitch a camp about them that fear God, Psalms 34:7." One of the oldest of the Greek poets had a tolerably correct notion of the angelic ministry: -
Αυταρ επειπεν τουτο γενος κατα γαια καλυψεν
Τοι μεν Δαιμονες εισι, Διος μεγαλου δια βουλας,
Εσθλοι, επιχθονιοι, φυλακες θνητων ανθρωπων· κ. τ. λ.
Hesiod. Op. & Dies, l. i., ver. 120.
When in the grave this race of men was laid, Soon was a world of holy demons made, Aerial spirits, by great Jove design'd To be on earth the guardians of mankind. Invisible to mortal eyes they go, And mark our actions good or bad below; The immortal spies with watchful care preside, And thrice ten thousand round their charges glide: They can reward with glory or with gold, A power they by Divine permission hold - Cooke.