A Sunday School Lesson On Angels

Here is a Sunday school lesson about angels.

Ministers of the Saints

Hebrews 1:14 “Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?”

The Bible mentions that angels are messengers of God but they also have another purpose and that is to minister to those of us who are the inheritors of salvation. Just as after “the devil left [Jesus], and behold, angels came and were ministering to him” (Matt 4:11) immediately after the temptation and also during the passion, “there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him” (Luke 22:43). If angels are ministering spirits for believers, what does this tell you about part of their purpose?

Are angels created for our sake alone?

Do we have angels around us at this time?

Is it possible there are demon spirits who are also near believers (Eph 6:12)?

Do you think each believer has his or her own angel assigned to them?

Flaming Messengers

Hebrews 1:7 “Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire.”

The author of Hebrews appears to be quoting the psalmist who wrote that God “makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire” (Psalm 104:4) and in fact, the name of the cherubim angels who sit over God’s throne means “flame” or “fire” so it is no surprise that they are called God’s ministers who are “a flame of fire.” God’s angels are at His disposal to minister to the saints in times of need but sometimes they bring God’s judgment, but never are they independent in their own actions.

If you ever saw an angel, what would be your tendency to do (Rev 19:10; 22:9)?

Why is the image of “flaming ministers” used in referring to angels?

What does it mean “He makes his angels winds?”

Entertaining Angels?

Hebrews 13:2 “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”

Have you ever read about or heard about someone who may have been visited by an angel? The author of Hebrews is warning us about how we show hospitality to strangers because we might be encountering an angel without even realizing it. When we neglect to show hospitality to strangers and only do so for those we know, we are no better than those who don’t know Christ. We should regard everyone as a potential angel, not because we think there are angels everywhere or they might be one, but because it is the right thing do to as we are told to love our enemies (Matt 5:10-12; Matt 5:43-48; Matt 25:35).

Was this something that was more common in the New Testament church or not?

Have you ever ignored or avoided showing hospitality to someone you didn’t know?

Why should we treat everyone hospitably (Luke 10:36-37)?

Angel’s Purpose

Angels, being messengers of God and ministers of the saints, sometimes intervene where humans are unable to as in the case of “The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth” (Gen 19:1). These angels came at Abraham’s request to spare Lot and his family and if not for their supernatural powers and Abraham’s request of God, Lot and his family may have never left Sodom (Gen 18:22-26).

Are angels only messengers?

Who determines what angels can and cannot do?

Would Lot and his family have escaped the destruction of Sodom if not for the intervention of the angels?

An Angelic War

Revelation 12:7-9 “Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.”

At the end of the age, Michael and the angels fought against the dragon or Satan or will do so, and they fought back but did not prevail and were cast down to the earth, including all of Satan’s angels with him, which are really demons. Then, Satan “became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea” (Rev 12:17). Some believe the “woman” is the nation of Israel who gave birth, through the royal lineage, to Jesus Christ the King of kings and Lord of lords and Satan has been trying to destroy this nation ever since the beginning but also Christ as an infant (Matt 2:16-18). Others believe that the woman may be the church and Satan, the dragon, tries to make war with the offspring of the church, who are the saints, and those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus Christ. It seems reasonable that the woman is the church as Jesus is the Bridegroom who comes to wed the church someday.

Who do you think the woman is in Revelation 12:17?

When was it that the dragon and all his demons were cast down to the earth?

What was Satan doing in heaven at the time he was cast down to the earth (Rev 12:10)?

Conclusion

I urge you in your study to look at all of the Bible verses and read them aloud in the class so that you can get the most out of this lesson on angels as their very name means “messengers of God” but we sometimes give them too much attention, almost as if we’re worshiping them, which of course is forbidden. One lady I knew long ago subscribed to a magazine about angels, she had angel figurines ever where, and she was fixated on them, even praying to them, but this is idolatry as we’re to worship God and Him alone. We are to pray only to the Father through Jesus Christ and not elevate angels to the same level as God.

Why are some people obsessed about angels but not God?

Should we pray to angels or seek them?

What has changed in your understanding about angels after this study?

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren Church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon.