Are There Financial Angels?
Dr. Newman Answers

QUESTION:

Do we have financial angels that we have to call upon to bring forth financial benefits?

Are they called ministry angels, and if so please explain.

Margaret

ANSWER:

Margaret, your question is a good one. I will try my best to answer it. Let me go this direction: first, I will address the issue of ministry angels; second, I will talk about “financial” angels.

There are, indeed, angels that minister to Christians, and to churches, and in other ways. But, I do not know if there are specific “financial” angels. Here are some verses and examples that inform us of what angels do. I cannot in this space give a full doctrinal explanation of angels, but I hope this will be enough to answer your question, Margaret.

What are angels?

First, let me say a few words about what angels are. They are created spirit beings without bodies, but they can assume a bodily form (Psalm 148:2-5; Hebrews 1:14; Luke 24:39; Ephesians 6:12). The word itself refers to one who brings a message, a messenger or agent. 

They are personal agents who have superhuman intelligence and power, yet limited in intelligence and power (2 Samuel 14:20; Matthew 24:36; Psalm 103:20). They are different from people. The exact number of angels is unknown. A vast organization among angels includes various orders and classes as well as a hierarchy. 

An example of their great power is seen in an ancient Old Testament battle between King Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, when he was trying to defeat the people of God, Israel. On the night before the great battle was to begin, there were some 185,000 mighty, trained, experienced, well-armed enemy soldiers arrayed against Israel. 

Here is what happened, “Then it happened that night that the angel of the Lord went out and struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when men rose early in the morning, behold, all of them were dead (2 Kings 19:35; 2 Chronicles 32:21; Isaiah 37:36; cf. 2 Samuel 24:17). 

Charles Ryrie, in his study Bible, states that the ancient historian, Herodotus, recorded that the soldiers of Sennacherib were infected with disease from mice or rats that invaded the army camp. Consequently, we see that angels can work behind the scenes through the things of this world. 

To emphasize the power of angels, I give the example of Jesus (Matthew 26:53). During the time of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, He claimed that he could have over 12 legions of angels dispatched to His aid at the snap of His finger. Since a Roman legion ranged from 3,000 to 6,000 in number, that calculates out to number 36,000 to 72,000 angels. If only one angel can wipe out 185,000 soldiers, then 72,000 angels could finish off 13,320,000,000 people over night – over twice the population of earth! That is the power and strength of angels. 

We don’t want to mess with them. At the same time, it gives us an idea of the resources we have in Christ. In the end, the evil forces of this world don’t stand a chance against the armies of God. 

Margaret, here are some examples of what good angels do, as seen from the pages of Scripture.

What angels do: examples

1. The writer of Hebrews states, in writing of angels, “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14; 13:2). Of course what he has in mind are good angels, not evil one who follow Satan.

2. The psalmist teaches, “Bless the Lord, you His angels, Mighty in strength, who perform His word, obeying the voice of His word!” (Psalm 103:20).

3. Some angels serve as agents of judgment against those who do evil (Genesis 19:13; 2 Samuel 24:16; 2 Kings 19:35; Ezekiel 9:1, 5, 7; Psalm 78:49).

4. Some serve as “watchers”, or ones who come from heaven to make and explain announcements about earthly events in history, and make those heavenly decrees actually happen on earth. In other words, they announce and make history as instructed by God (Daniel 4:13, 17, 23).

5. The destroyer, or angel of death, in the Passover event was probably an angel – or perhaps the Lord Himself (Exodus 12:23). 

6. There is an angel of the waters, “And I heard the angel of the waters saying, ‘Righteous art Thou, who are and who wast, O Holy One, because Thou didst judge these things” (Revelation 16:5). Evidently, an angel (probably one angel in charge of many underlings) controls the waterways of earth in carrying out the commands of God.

7. There is an angel over fire, “And another angel, the one who has power over fire, came out from the altar; and he called with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle” (Revelation 14:18). 

8. Angels minister to the churches in that they at least observe the order of authority practiced within the churches and learn of God’s wisdom (1 Corinthians 11:10; Ephesians 3:10; 1 Peter 1:12; 1 Timothy 5:21; Revelation 1:20).

9. Angels care and guard children, showing the Father’s interest and concern for children and point out the concern adults ought to have for the little ones (Matthew 18:10; Psalm 91:11). 

10. They have an extensive ministry to Christ. Examples include at His birth (Luke 1:13; 26-38; 2:13); at His temptation (Luke 1:13); in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:43; at His Resurrection (John 20:12; Matthew 28:2-7); at His Ascension (Acts 1:10; at the Rapture of the Church (1Thessalonians 4:16); and at His Second Coming (Matthew 25:31). 

11. Angels have specific ministry to the nations of the world (Daniel 10:10-11:1; 12:1). The exact nature of this work is unknown in full detail; however, it includes guardianship and controlling their destinies (cf. Daniel 4:13-17; 23-27; 34, 35; 5:21; 8:15ff.; Acts 17:26). 

12. Angels were involved at least as observers of creation, and rejoice in His works such as people receiving Christ (Job 38:4-7; Luke 15:10). 

13. Angels were present and involved when the Mosaic Law was given (Acts 7:53; Galatians 3:19).

14. Angels stand in the presence of God and worship Him (Psalm 29:1, 2; 89:7; Matthew 18:10). 

15. Angels execute God’s will by working in nature (Psalm 103:20. For example, they are ministers of flaming fires, lighting, winds, flames, earthquakes, and disease (Psalm 104:4; Hebrews 1:7; Exodus 3:2; 2 Kings 6:17; Revelation 14:18; Matthew 28:2; Luke 13:11).

16. Angels will be judged by Christians (1 Corinthians 6:3).

17. Angels are involved in the care and protection of individual believers. For example, they bring the answers to our prayers (Daniel 9:21, 22); carrying Christians to heaven then they die (Luke 16:22); and give strength and courage (1 Kings 19:5; Luke 22:43; Acts 27:23, 24).

Angels have charge over believers to keep and direct them in all their ways (Psalm 91:11; 34:7; Genesis 24:7; 22:12, 15; 19:1-15; 28:12; Exodus 14:19; 1 Kings 19:5; Daniel 3:28; 7:22). They give protection to believers from physical dangers (Daniel 6:22).

18. Angels are involved in assisting believers in carrying out the Great Commission, and in the interests and advancement of Christ’s interests and His Church in the world. (Acts 5:19-21; 10:30; 11:13, 14; Luke 15:10; 1 Corinthians 11:10).

19. Angels punish God’s enemies. Remember when Herod was trying to put Peter to death, because Peter was being used so mightily of God. Herod gave a speech to a friendly, assembled crowd and the people gave him great adulation.

The Bible records, “And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died” (Acts 12:23). This, again, is a case where an angel intervened with the use of earthly or natural things – this time worms. The Jewish historian, Josephus, records that Herod was struck while delivering the speech and died after five days of suffering. 

Guardian angels:

What I have listed so far drives us to the doctrine of “Guardian Angels.” Are there such angels? Margaret, what we have discovered so far from the Bible is that angels are guardians to individual believers (Matthew 18:6, 10; Acts 12:15; cf. Acts 5:19-21; Genesis 48:16; Daniel 10:20, 21; 12:1; Hebrews 1:14; 13:2). 

Guardian angels protect and minister to believers as demonstrated by the examples I listed. Another real life example comes from the life Abraham. He sent his servant to find a wife for his son, Isaac. Abraham told his servant that God would send an angel ahead to find the right woman (Genesis 24:7; see Genesis 22:12, 15; see also Genesis 19:1-15; 28:12).

Upon finding Rebekah, the servant prayed, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His lovingkindness and His truth toward my master; as for me, the Lord had guided me in the way to the house of my master’s brothers (Genesis 24:27; cf. verse 40, 48).

The sum of the story is that God guided the activities of the servant’s trip with the use of an angel.

Christ speaks of guardian angels when He declared that the angels of little children have access to God, “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you, that their angels in heaven continually behold the face of My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 18:10).

The New Testament says angels are ministering spirits sent to help the people of God (Hebrews 1:14). In a dramatic delivery, angels freed the apostles and Peter from prison, and encouraged Paul in his fears (Acts 5:19; 12:5-7; 27:23, 24).

In another place, the Bible records, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:2).

So, what can we conclude from this examination of biblical data? Several conclusions we can come to.

Conclusion about angels:

1. Angels (both good and bad) impact the natural world. That is, they can carry out the will of God in the natural world. This does not mean that angels cause everything that happens in this world, because they do not execute the full providence and plans of God. God also uses natural law – such as gravity. They intervene in the unfolding of history only where specifically and occasionally commanded to do so by God.

2. Angels also act on the minds of humanity. They do not act directly upon our minds, because only God and the Holy Spirit can have that access (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:11). They only influence our minds in keeping with our own natural capacities and regular means that normally operate on our capacities. In other words, it is like one person influences another person by suggestion, guidance or information. 

Since angels communicate with each other, and also by biblical example, it is reasonable they communicate to our minds. Evil angels allure humanity to evil, and good angels attract us to holiness and Jesus Christ. 

3. Good angels further the welfare of believers, protect them from evil, and defend them from their enemies, “For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways. They will bear you up in their hands, lest you strike your foot against a stone” (Psalm 91:11, 12).

4. Angels do not come between us and God as a mediator, or go-between, “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). We are not to appeal or look to angels for aid. They are in the hands of God to carry out His commands, not ours (cf. Psalm 103:19, 20).

If we wish any kind of help or aid, then our appeal must be to God directly through Jesus Christ, “if you shall ask the Father for anything, He will give it to you in My name” (John 16:23-26; cf. 14:14; 15:16). Remember that God, “works all things after the counsel of His will” (Ephesians 1:11; cf. Romans 8:28-39). 

5. I stress again, that good angels do not act at their own option independently from God, but they act only on orders from Him as given through His chain of command. We are not to worship angels (Colossians 2:18).Evil angels may appear or attempt to communicate with us (Galatians 1:8). We should not expect good angels to communicate to us with new information or with visible appearances. 

6. The ministry, influence and operation of good angels cannot be positively detected, observed and proved. Their work, for the most, is unseen and unknowable. Of both good and evil angels, we can never be consciously sure of their activities. Angels work and affect our lives in many ways, but angels do not cause many events that happen in this world or to our lives. Sometimes, however, certain events do happen where there is no other explanation but angelic activity. 

I guess my point here is that we must be careful not to slip into harmful superstition where we blame or glorify angels for everything that happens around us. That will not be to our advantage. 

Financial angels:

Margaret, after going through all this biblical data, I finally arrive at your question regarding financial angels. Specifically, you asked, “Do we have financial angels that we have to call upon to bring forth financial benefits?”

Based on what we have covered in the Bible, the answer is mostly no. First, we must call upon God – never angels. If He wishes to send an angel to help us out, then fine. If not, then it is up to Him to decide what to do and how to do it. 

James writes, “Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow” (James 1:17). 

Sometimes God does not want us to be wealthy in this world, but brings hardship that our faith may grow in Him. Based on our magnificent salvation and the protective power of God, Peter wrote, “ In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6, 7; cf. Hebrews 11:32-40; Matthew 6:19-21).

So, while there are angels who help us (as directed by God), I do not believe there are special angels that bestow wealth on us. God may send an angel to give us health, wisdom, money, or whatever, but the same angel may do many other things for us as well – as determined by the will and purpose of God for our lives. 

Regarding wealth, Margaret, let me leave you with these words of Paul regarding the source of wealth, those without money, and those with money. 

He wrote, “For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang…Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, and be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share” (1 Timothy 6:10, 17, 18). 

All the best to you, and God bless…and tell others of this website.

Dr. Newman