–– Tim Cantrell
Whether it is the flower- and dove-sprinkled Canva posters on social media that state, “Heaven has gained an angel,” or the dependence on—or fear of—mysterious spirits, many Africans are oblivious to what really goes on in the spiritual realm. This usually leads to two extremes: burying one’s head in the sand as it concerns demons or angels, or attributing too much responsibility to them.
The Bible has much to say about God’s purpose, position, and place for angels and demons.
That matters because Africans are generally not materialists. Unlike much of the secular West, where the spiritual realm can be dismissed as fantasy, many African cultures instinctively recognise that there is more to reality than what we can see, touch and measure. African Traditional Religion sees the world as permeated by spiritual beings who can have positive or negative effects on everyday life.
But here is the problem: recognising a spiritual realm does not mean that everything we hear about it is true. We need biblical truth to separate fact from fiction, truth from fantasy.
So, what does the Bible actually tell us about angels?
Hebrews 1 gives us some of the clearest statements in Scripture about angels. By the end of Hebrews 2, angels have been mentioned repeatedly, framing the opening argument of the book. This isn’t an attempt to make us obsessed with angels. Rather, it is to make us amazed by Christ.
Angels are created beings. They are powerful, glorious and intelligent, but they are not divine. They are not autonomous spiritual powers floating around the universe, making their own decisions about human destiny. They serve the purposes of God.
Hebrews 1:7 describes them as winds and flames of fire, while verse 14 calls them “ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation.”What a picture! They are God’s ministers—His servants and messengers.
This means we must be careful whenever our thinking about angels begins to give them the place that belongs only to God. The angelic world does not compete with God’s sovereignty. It displays it. The more we understand God’s servants, the more impressed we should become with their Master.
This is especially important in an African context. One of the common confusions surrounding the spiritual realm is the blending together of angels, ancestors, and the spirits of deceased people. But Scripture makes a distinction. Angels are not departed ancestors. They are not dead human beings who have been promoted to heaven. They are not glorified people. They are a distinct order of God’s creation.
Our loved ones who pass on do not become angels any more than our pets do. Neither do the departed hover around earth like ghosts turning the dials of fate to their whims. Scripture teaches in Hebrews 9:27 that it is appointed for man to die once, and after that come judgment. Indeed, even Ecclesiastes 9:5 declares that the dead know nothing, never mind the future or the other secret things of the LORD (Deuteronomy 29:29). Mankind remains man, whether in this life or the next.
Human beings and angels are both personal creatures with intelligence, will and emotion, but we have a unique place in God’s creation. Humanity alone is made in God’s image. And there is something even more astonishing: while angels serve God’s people, God became a man to redeem His people.
That should make us marvel at the privilege of being human—not because humanity is inherently impressive, but because God’s grace toward sinful human beings is astonishing.
Many people have also heard the idea that every Christian has one particular angel assigned to them—a personal heavenly bodyguard. But Scripture doesn’t clearly teach this. Jesus certainly teaches that angels serve God’s people, and Hebrews 1:14 tells us that they are “sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation.” But that is different from saying that every Christian has one individual angel permanently assigned to them.
The good news is actually greater than the popular idea. You don’t need to know the name of your supposed guardian angel. You need to know the name of your sovereign God.
Psalm 91 speaks of God commanding His angels concerning His people. In 2 Kings 6, Elisha’s terrified servant sees an army surrounding them. Elisha simply prays, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” Suddenly the servant sees that the mountain is full of horses and chariots of fire surrounding them. The point isn’t, “Trust the angels.” The point is, God is with you.
The angels are His servants.
Hebrews 1:14 calls angels “ministering spirits.” Scripture gives us numerous examples of them protecting, strengthening and assisting God’s servants. They protected Lot. They delivered the apostles from prison. An angel strengthened Jesus in Gethsemane. An angel encouraged Daniel. An angel brought encouragement to Paul during a terrifying storm at sea.
Here, we should be careful too. God doesn’t call us to live in constant fascination with angelic activity. He calls us to trust Him. There is a wonderful difference between being comforted by the doctrine of angels and becoming preoccupied with angels. The former produces confidence in God. The latter can produce superstition.
At this juncture, we must acknowledge that as much as good angels exist, Scripture also teaches the reality of evil spiritual beings. The Bible does not tell Christians to pretend that demons are imaginary. But neither does Scripture teach us to live paralysed by fear of them.
Satan and the fallen angels are creatures, not rivals to God. They are powerful, but they are not omnipotent. They are intelligent, but they are not omniscient. They are active, but they are not sovereign. God alone is God. This is why the great reformer Martin Luther exclaimed, “Even the devil is God’s devil”
That distinction matters enormously in Africa, where fear of witchcraft, curses, spiritual attacks and mysterious powers can be very real. The Christian response is not atheistic denial—“none of this exists.” Nor is it superstition—“everything that happens must be caused by a spirit.”
It is biblical confidence: God is sovereign. Christ is King. The spiritual realm is real. And every spiritual being remains under the authority of the Creator. This is ultimately why Hebrews teaches us about angels. If you spend your time staring at the frame, you miss the painting. Angels are magnificent. They are powerful. They worship God. They serve His purposes. They minister to His people. But, they are not the main attraction; Christ is.
The angels themselves worship Him. They take their orders from Him. They serve His kingdom. And when we understand them properly, they don’t draw our attention away from Christ—they point us toward Him.
So don’t bury your head in the sand when it comes to the spiritual realm. The Bible says it is real. But don’t become obsessed with angels, demons, ancestors, spirits, visions or supernatural experiences either.
Open your Bible. Let Scripture tell you what is true, and when you do, you will discover something far more glorious than angels: the Son of God, Jesus Christ, their Creator, their King, and the One in whom God’s people can safely place their trust.
The audio version of this article is available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.