Help from angels

[moselle]

Are there any scriptures that command/allow/imply that we should seek angels for help or guidance? I can only find instances where the angels were sent by God, but not where people initiated the "contact" so to speak.

 

[Iconoclast]

Are there any scriptures that command/allow/imply that we should seek angels for help or guidance? I can only find instances where the angels were sent by God, but not where people initiated the "contact" so to speak.

14Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

I do not think we are commanded to contact angelic beings, they are mostly sent by God. Throughout scripture we receive help from angels in studying what they have already done, what activity they carry on now, and what future activity they will carry out.
Many times in their role as messengers they have helped to reveal the redemptive purposes of God. Often they were allowed to appear to the Covenant people of God and assure them that we have no need to fear if we are savingly united to God.
As revelation has ceased and we are told we have all things that pertain to life and godliness given to us in the word, we do not need to seek for additional messages outside the word.
Joseph Smith got into trouble when he closed his bible and sought out new revelation and angel visitations. Evidently he was contacted by fallen angels ... so it is probably better to pray for more wsdom in the studying and application of the scriptures we have already.

 

[Jack K]

Are there any scriptures that command/allow/imply that we should seek angels for help or guidance? I can only find instances where the angels were sent by God, but not where people initiated the "contact" so to speak.

I keep trying to think of an example and can only come up with Manoah, dad to Samson, in Judges 13. The Angel of the LORD had appeared to his wife to announce Samson's birth but Manoah wanted to speak to the angel himself, so he prayed to God to send him again. God listened to Manoah's prayer and sent the angel back. But I would point out...

--God still initiated the first contact.
--This is an appearance of the "Angel of the LORD" and thus a theophany (appearance of God himself) rather than a typical angelic visit. Manoah was actually seeking help and guidance from God himself, though he didn't realize it at the time.

I think it's a mistake for us to seek to contact God's messengers for guidance when we have direct access to God himself through the Scriptures and his Spirit.

 

[Peairtach]

I'm not aware of help from angels, as I am aware of help from God the Father and God the Son, by the Holy Spirit. But the Holy Spirit dwells in us, whereas angels do not.

Some Christians have had what they believed were revelations of angelic presence or work, but we must remember that even during Bible times appearances by angels were rare. We should not normally expect to be aware of the work that they do.

We are to avoid prayer to angels or worshipping of them. See e.g. Colossians.

Jesus, the God-Man, is now the King of Angels, the Bright and Morning Star, Lucifer having been cast out from that post in his rebellion (See Revelation 2:28; 22:16; Isaiah 14:12-15, NIV). We should direct our prayers to God the Father through Jesus Christ and He will do what seems to Him best, if that involves an angel/angels or not.

 

[moselle]

Thanks to All...I've been assuming along those lines, but thought maybe I'd missed something. There seems to be a lot of "angel seeking" going on among family members and their church ministries these days.

 

[TimV]

One thinks of dozens of verses of the "there is help only in You, O Lord" variety. And the verses about leaning on Egypt, which is like a man leaning on a sharpened stick, which will poke through his hand.

And at the end of the day, when you order a book from an Amazon seller, you don't ask the UPS driver for the book!! He's just a messenger, right? I've got a Confessional Presbyterian right in front of me now, and I contacted Chris when I wanted the book. I'm thankful for the dude from the service that brought it to me, but I sure didn't ask him for it, nor did I seek his opinion.

Let's go boldly before He who has the authority and power to answer our prayers, and leave the angels to do their jobs. (And Saints to their rest. Even Mary doesn't want us asking her favors. She hates it).

 

[MarieP]

We are everywhere in Scripture commanded to seek the Lord, not angels! God could have told us humans, "You know, I'm so high and holy that I will help you, but you must talk to My messengers." NO, He bis us come to HIMSELF!!!