Westminster Larger Catechism (1647), Westminster Assembly

Question 19

What is God’s providence towards the angels?

God by his providence permitted some of the angels, wilfully and irrecoverably, to fall into sin and damnation,a limiting and ordering that, and all their sins, to his own glory;b and established the rest in holiness and happiness;c employing them all,d at his pleasure, in the administrations of his power, mercy, and justice.e

What is God’s providence towards the angels?

God by his providence permitted some of the angels, willfully and irrecoverably, to fall into sin and damnation,a limiting and ordering that, and all their sins, to his own glory;b and established the rest in holiness and happiness;c employing them all,d at his pleasure, in the administrations of his power, mercy, and justice.e

  1. a. Jude 6; 2 Peter 2:4; Hebrews 2:16

    Jude 1:6

    1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

    1:6 And the angels who did not stay within their own domain but abandoned their proper dwelling-these He has kept in eternal chains under darkness, bound for judgment on that great day.

    2 Peter 2:4

    2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

    2:4 For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them deep into hell, placing them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment;

    Hebrews 2:16

    2:16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

    2:16 For surely it is not the angels He helps, but the descendants of Abraham.

    King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

  2. b. Job 1:12; Matthew 8:31

    Job 1:12

    1:12 And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.

    1:12 "Very well," said the LORD to Satan. "Everything he has is in your hands, but you must not lay a hand on the man himself." Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

    Matthew 8:31

    8:31 So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.

    8:31 So the demons begged Jesus, "If You drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs."

    King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

  3. c. 1 Timothy 5:21; Mark 8:38; Hebrews 12:22

    1 Timothy 5:21

    5:21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.

    5:21 I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels to maintain these principles without bias, and to do nothing out of partiality.

    Mark 8:38

    8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

    8:38 If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in His Father's glory with the holy angels."

    Hebrews 12:22

    12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

    12:22 Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to myriads of angels

    King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

  4. d. Psalm 104:4

    Psalm 104:4

    104:4 Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:

    104:4 He makes the winds His messengers, flames of fire His servants.

    King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

  5. e. 2 Kings 19:35; Hebrews 1:14

    2 Kings 19:35

    19:35 And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.

    19:35 And that very night the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 men in the camp of the Assyrians. When the people got up the next morning, there were all the dead bodies!

    Hebrews 1:14

    1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

    1:14 Are not the angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

    King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

Related (1)

Westminster Shorter Catechism (1647), parallel to this question

Question 11

What are God’s works of providence?

God’s works of providence are, his most holy wise and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions.

Commentaries (9)