ling him
to the work of delivering his people. Judges 6.

[Illustration: JACOB'S DREAM IN BETHEL

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

As Daniel's prayer reached heaven, even while he still prayed, the angel
Gabriel "being caused to fly swiftly," touched him, and said:

"O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. At
the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am
come to show thee." Dan. 9:21-23.

So close is the communication between heaven and earth.

The gladdest tidings ever brought from heaven to earth since the promise
of the Deliverer to Adam in Eden, were brought by angels to the
shepherds of Bethlehem. First, one angel appeared, saying:

"I bring you good tidings of great joy.... For unto you is born this day
in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

Such tidings to earth could never be the mission of one lone angel, when
all heaven longed to cry the news to a lost world.

"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host
praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth
peace, good will toward men." Luke 2:13, 14.

Unseen in Halls of Government

One incident related in the book of Daniel draws aside the curtain, and
shows how angels doubtless often have worked unseen in kingly courts or
halls of legislation. Daniel had prayed for three weeks for light in
certain matters that the angel Gabriel had begun to unfold to him. When
at last the angel came, overpowering the prophet with the glory of his
presence, it was with a statement, first, of the reason for the delay in
responding to his prayer. The angel said:

"From the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and
to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come
for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one
and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to
help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. Now I am come to
make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days."
Dan. 10:12-14.

Messengers of Deliverance

The story of deliverance wrought by angels is too long to tell. One need
only think of the angels' taking slow-moving Lot by the arms and setting
him out of Sodom (Genesis 19); of the angel finding Elijah under a bush
in the desert, and fir