HIS ANGELS – HIS SERVANTS. Hebrews 1:7 Psalm 104 lists many things God has created for His sovereign purposes and controls. God uses wind and lightning in storms for reasons He knows are right and necessary, designing them to do His will. There are about 8.6 million lightning strikes worldwide each day, with around 20 million each year in the USA. Lightning is needed to convert atmospheric nitrogen for us. It releases nitrogen to the earth in lightning, which is essential for plant growth and also helps clean the air we breathe.
When a forest fire ignites, carbon is released back into the atmosphere as CO₂. The effects of lightning play a vital role in supporting life on Earth. The fire’s message is that He is capable of consuming everything He has created and beginning creation anew. For the Lord our God is greater than anything compared to Him. Winds will come and go, and the fire will eventually burn out. They do what God intends; their activity is the Creator’s choice. Consider the short-lived, fleeting power of elements uncontrolled by man. Understand that each one is under the Master's control.
There are positive effects of the wind when it cools our bodies during hot weather and warns us to dress warmly when it is cold. The wind spreads plant seeds and cleanses the air. The message of the wind proclaims His sovereignty. Righteous judgment also uses the wind to address the global problem of sin by prompting people to call on the Lord's name when they realize they are powerless to do anything to stop the wind.
In that list are angels who are ministering spirits; servants of the Sovereign of the universe, who is worshipped and served by them. He created them for purposes some of which are known to us. Angels serve those who inherit salvation by His grace. Believers in Christ have entered into a place of inheritance that angels do not possess. They have great power to preserve and protect those in God's family, but their power is temporary and fleeting like wind and lightning.
There is a connection between angels in the kingdom of God and the physical events that happen on earth. There was an earthquake when angels rolled away the stone from the tomb where Jesus' body had been laid, so people could see that He was truly risen from the dead. An angel “troubled the waters” of the pool of Siloam. Angels have charge over many things God does on the earth. Despite their great power, they still serve Him who has all power in heaven and earth.
As Creator of all, everything must serve Him. That is the message of Psalm 104, as cited here. Nature sends a clear message: The Lord Jesus Christ is above all. Whether it’s the storm, the wind, the fires from lightning that cause flames, or angels, He is greater and more powerful than all of them combined. When the Lord Jesus spoke to the wind and the sea, they immediately obeyed His voice. “Peace. Be still.”