“Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” (Heb. 1:14)
“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” (Heb. 13:2)
Unless my memory fails me at this moment, which it frequently does, I do not recall any mention of angels visiting men in the Scriptures after the Lord Jesus Christ returned to heaven. How they minister to those who have been born-again is unknown to us in specific terms and cannot be verified when it supposedly occurs, though many would like us to believe so.
To entertain them unawares would mean that we would not recognize them as angels, as messengers sent by the Lord for a specific reason in our lives, but we consider that the reason would be as our opening verse states, to minister to us, in times of need, when the circumstances seem the darkest, when we have no place to hide is when we may entertain them unawares, for it seems of little benefit to be in the presences of an angel for any other reason.
The Holy Spirit is our comforter, our guide in the will of God, He is the One that opens our eyes to the Word of God and teaches us how we are to respond to it. The Lord Jesus Christ is the One that empowers us to do the will of God, to be profitable servants, to employ the gifts that we have been blessed with so that we can serve the Almighty properly and with a loving heart. So, at least in my humble perspective, the reason that an angel would be sent to us would be to minister to us in a specific moment of need, but I do not understand, nor can I explain why they would not reveal themselves to us as who they are, angels sent by God for our benefit.
If we knew for a fact, if there was no doubt in our mind, if indeed the one sent could prove that they were indeed an angel sent by the Lord, how would that affect your walk with the Lord? Do you need proof, or can you be one of the justified and live by faith?
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1) This test would be quite simple, at least to our finite minds, simply ask the one who claims to be an angel if Jesus Christ is Lord of all, but I wonder as I contemplate this statement, can the father of lies or any that were cast out with him say that, recognizing it as truth? I do not know and perhaps that is why these ministering spirits, these angels that we entertain, meeting unaware that they are angels sent from God are sent to us without us knowing who they are.
I personally believe that when most people say they have met an angel they have instead met a devil, for 2 Corinthians 11:15 stands as a truth. “Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” Every religious organization that says there is another way to heaven besides through Jesus Christ, that claims we must perform some work alongside what the Lord did that day on the cross is led by the devils that follow the father of lies.
“Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.” (1 Cor. 12:3) If you meet an unrepentant sinner, the worst one you know, and ask them to say, “Jesus Christ is Lord,” they will have no problem repeating those words, the Almighty will not strike them dead, no adverse thing will happen to them. So, can a devil do the same?
We are to exhibit a Christlike demeanor to all we meet at all times out of a love for the Lord Jesus Christ, even when we are reproving, rebuking and correcting. There is great opportunity for deception in this area from our adversary, and he has and will continue to use it for his advantage. Pray for Spiritual discernment so that you may entertain angels with wisdom.
