Angels: Their Nature and Ministry

§11. THE ANGELS EXECUTE GOD’S JUDGMENTS UPON THE WICKED

While the angels are messengers of mercy to those who do good, they are also messengers of wrath to those who do evil. Thus the Lord commissioned angels to go and destroy Sodom. The angel said to Lot, “We will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord, and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it.” Genesis 19:13. When Balaam went to prophesy against Israel, the Lord sent His angel to slay him. Numbers 22:22. So when David had sinned, the Lord sent His angel to destroy Jerusalem. 1 Chronicles 21:14-30. When the Assyrians blasphemed God, the Lord sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of Valor, and the leaders and the captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. 2 Chronicles 32:21. When Herod was exalted in himself, and received praise as a god, “immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory; and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.” Acts 12:23. ATNM 39.1

We have reason to believe that the sudden judgments which frequently overtake evil-doers are executed upon them by the angels of God. When the mystery of God is finished, and the work of the gospel is ended, all the wicked will be gathered and cast into the wine press of the wrath of God. Thus Jesus says: “The harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of the world. The Son of man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire.” Matthew 13:39-42. The judgments of the Lord, both in this life and at the final gathering of the wicked to meet their doom, are all executed by the angels. See Revelation 15:1; 16:1-17. In these texts the wrath of God is said to be poured out upon the wicked by the angels. ATNM 39.2