[256]Angel means messenger; that is, one who is sent on a mission as a representative or deputy, or messenger of God. These holy messengers or angels always have access to the Father, Jehovah. (Matthew 18:10) We should expect, of course, that these holy ones of the heavenly host would sing praise and give utterance to joy before the Lord at every progressive step of his plan. These angels inhabit the heavens, the high place. And so the Psalmist writes of them: "Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens: praise him in the heights. Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts". (Psalm 148:1,2) The Bible abounds with many instances wherein God has used these holy angels as messengers. He communicated with Abraham by his angels (Genesis 22:15); also with Jacob. (Genesis 31:11) God appeared unto Moses by his angel. (Exodus 3:2) He also delivered a message to Elijah by his angel. (1 Kings 19:5) These holy messengers of God guarded the interests of Jesus at all times, from the moment he left the heavenly courts to become the man Jesus for the purpose of redeeming the world of mankind. (Zechariah 3:1-7) The angel of the Lord announced to Mary that she was to be the mother of the babe Jesus. (Luke 1:31) When she gave birth to this wonderful child, the angel of the Lord brought the message to the faithful shepherds, and the great multitude of the heavenly hosts joined together with that angel in praising, God.--Luke 2:9-11. [257]We may be sure that these faithful, holy angels, as God's instruments, were carefully watching every step of Jesus from the time of his birth up to the moment of his resurrection. With eagerness they would watch and wait to see if Jesus fully met all the requirements of God's law. They evidently knew that his full compliance would meet with the marvelous reward of a resurrection from the dead. It was one of these faithful messengers that the Lord sent from heaven to roll back the stone from the door of the tomb at the resurrection of the Master. What great joy must have filled the heavenly courts now when they beheld Jesus, by the power of God, triumphant over death and the grave!