BIBLE STORIES FEATURING ANGELS:

If you are teaching the Bible to your children or to a Sunday School class, there are
numerous Bible stories which illustrate the nature and mission of angels, as God's
messengers. Point out that angels appear in times of great need, or to bring special
messages from God. There are times that the Bible characters do not believe in the
angels who have come to them, or they fail to see them or be receptive to them. This
seems to result in episodes of punishment or obstruction. Discuss with your pupils
how they might respond in similar situations, or ask what might have happened if the
people disobeyed or ignored the angels. How might history have been changed?
Also, go over the citations above from the writings of Mrs. Eddy, and ask how they
might be applied to the particular Bible story you are working with. The following
are most, but not all, of the "angel sightings" in the Bible:

GENESIS 16:  The first mention of an angel in the Bible is in the story about Hagar,
fleeing from Sarai, Abraham's wife. An angel appeared to Hagar in the wilderness
and told her to "return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands." The angel
also announced that Hagar was going to bear a son, and would be the mother of
multitudes. He even told her to name her son Ishmael. This angel brought both
protection to Hagar, as well as an important message.

GENESIS 19: This is the story of Lot and the angels that warned him to leave his
wicked city immediately. When Lot lingered, the angels "laid hold upon his hand,
and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters . . . and they
brought him forth, and set him without the city." There, they gave Lot further
instructions not to look behind at the city, and to escape to the mountains. Show
your pupils what happened to Lot's wife when she disobeyed the angels' orders.

GENESIS 21: This tells of the time Hagar was cast out of the home of Abraham
along with her son, and they were alone in the wilderness. God "heard the voice
of the lad," and sent an angel to speak with Hagar, again reminding her that God
would make a "great nation" from her son. Suddenly, Hagar became aware of a well
of water.

GENESIS 22: The story of Abraham and the time he felt God had instructed him
to sacrifice his son Isaac on an altar. An angel came to Abraham in time to stop
him from killing his son, and bringing a message from God which approved of
Abraham's loyalty to God.

GENESIS 28: This describes the night Jacob beheld in his dream the angels of
God ascending and descending on a ladder up to heaven. Later, in Genesis 32, Jacob
is met by a host of angels as he journeys home to try and reunite with his brother
Esau.

EXODUS 3: An angel appears to Moses "in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush."

NUMBERS 22: This is a great story to tell young Sunday School pupils. It is the
tale of "Balaam's Ass." The ass was able to see an angel standing in the road,
blocking the way. After Balaam punishes the ass, the animal is given the power to
speak! Balaam was then able to see the angel "standing in the way, and his sword
drawn in his hand." There are many lessons to be found in this story that young
children will love to discuss.

JUDGES 13: An angel appears to the soon-to-be parents of Samson, to announce
Samson's birth, and to give instructions on how he is to be raised as a Nazarite.

I KINGS: An angel appears to Elijah after he fled from the vengeful Jezibel. The
angel provides food, water, and words of encouragement.

DANIEL 3: Nebuchadnezzar believes an angel, who appears like the form of "the
Son of God," has delivered the three young Hebrews from the fiery furnace.

DANIEL 6: God sends an angel to rescue Daniel from the lion's den.

MATTHEW 1and MARK 1: An angel appears to Joseph to announce the
conception of Jesus, telling Joseph to marry Mary and to name her son, Jesus.
Joseph listened and obeyed.

MATTHEW 2: An angel appears to Joseph in a dream, telling him to take Jesus
and Mary into Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod. Joseph listened and obeyed.
And when an angel told Joseph it was safe to return, Joseph listened and obeyed.

MATTHEW 4: Angels ministered unto Jesus after his temptations in the wilderness.

MATTHEW 28: An angel appears at the sepulchre where Jesus was buried. The
angel rolls away the stone and sits upon it. He speaks with the two Marys who have
come, giving them instruction to go tell the disciples that Jesus is risen. They listen
and obey.

LUKE 1: The angel Gabriel appears to Zacharias to tell him his prayers for a son
have been answered. He will have a son and his name will be John. Because
Zacharias expressed doubt in the possibility of this happening, as both he and his
wife were very old, Zacharias is punished -- he is unable to speak, until John is born.

LUKE 1: Gabriel visits Mary to announce that she will be the mother of Jesus.

LUKE 2: An angel visits the shepherds to tell them the "good tidings of great joy,"
the birth of the Saviour. The angel tells them how to find Jesus. Then a great
multitude of angels appears, praising God.

JOHN 20: In another version of the story of the resurrection, Mary stoops down
and looks into the sepulchre and sees two angels in white. They speak with her briefly
until Jesus appears.

ACTS 5: An angel opens the prison doors for Peter and the other apostles.

ACTS 10: An angel comes to Cornelius in a vision, telling him to contact Peter.
He gives directions on exactly how to find him, and tells him to do whatever Peter
tells him. He listens and obeys.

ACTS 12: Peter is once again rescued by an angel, who first has to wake him up,
then releases the chains holding Peter. He instructs Peter to dress. Peter follows the
angel obediently, not even sure if he is dreaming or not, and they pass through the
rooms and go out by an iron gate which "opened to them of his own accord." Then
the angel departs.

ACTS 27: An angel appears to Paul during a storm at sea, and tells him not to fear,
because he and all that were on the boat would be saved, and Paul would be brought
before Caesar.


In summary, angels may come to us as "intuition," or as a voice speaking to us --
sometimes loudly, sometimes in a whisper. Angels may seem appear to us as

people. Or animals. Angels may perform so-called miracles or heroic deeds on

our behalf. They may protect us from harm, or offer encouragement when we are

discouraged.  We may experience the feeling that we, ourselves, are the very

angels of God, expressing or manifesting His spiritual qualities in our individual

daily lives.  But no matter what angels appear to be, or what they do for us,

Christian Science teaches that they originate with our Father-Mother God, the one

supreme divine Mind.

Angels are God's thoughts!