Have you ever noticed that angels were involved in almost every aspect of the Christmas story?
In fact, without angels, we don’t have a Christmas story at all!
They made announcements. They brought promises. They offered guidance, and they provided protection before, during, and after Jesus’ birth.
In Luke 1, the angel Gabriel appeared to a priest named Zacharias. He and his wife Elizabeth were godly people. They had prayed for a child but were now advanced in age and had never conceived.
Zacharias was in the temple and one of the most glorious angels, Gabriel, appeared to him. The angel said to him in verse 13…
“Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.”
Gabriel then explained how John—who we now know as John the Baptist—would prepare the way for the Messiah.
Six months later, also in Luke 1, the same glorious angel appeared to a young virgin named Mary, who was engaged to Joseph at the time.
Gabriel said, in verses 30 and 31…
“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.”
Mary was understandably taken aback because she was a virgin. She said in verse 34, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”
So Gabriel explained that the “Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you” (verse 35).
Shortly after, the book of Matthew tells us an angel appeared to Joseph and told him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife—because her pregnancy was from God.
Then at the birth of Jesus, an angel came to shepherds in the field and announced to them the birth of the Savior. Then a whole host of angels appeared in Luke 2:14, praising God and saying…
“Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth, peace, goodwill toward men!”
The angelic intervention didn’t stop there. After Jesus was born, Joseph was warned by an angel that Herod would try to kill the child, and that they needed to flee to Egypt. So they did.
After Herod died, the angel returned and told Joseph it was safe to come back to Israel.
Time and time again in Scripture, we see angels help guide, protect, and encourage believers in many different situations and in many ways.
Today is no different.
Angels are very much at work today among God’s people. In fact, the Scriptures teach that ‘all the angels are spirits who serve God and are sent to help those who will receive salvation!‘ (Hebrews 1:14 ERV) That’s us! And I believe that we should definitely expect their aid and intervention as we continue to plant the seeds of the gospel around the world.
