content/02/15.md
---
pagetitle: What is God's providence towards the angels?
date: February 19, 2020
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short_date: "0215"
this_date: Feb 15
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---
#### Larger Catechism
<span class="q">Q 19.</span> What is God's providence towards the angels?
<span class="q">A.</span> God by his providence permitted some of the angels, willfully and irrecoverably, to fall into sin and damnation,[^fnref:wlc1] limiting and ordering that, and all their sins, to his own glory;[^fnref:wlc2] and established the rest in holiness and happiness;[^fnref:wlc3] employing them all,[^fnref:wlc4] at his pleasure, in the administrations of his power, mercy, and justice.[^fnref:wlc5]
[^fnref:wlc1]: <div class="esv"><h5>Jude 1:6</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p65001006.01-1">And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day—</p> </div><h5>2 Peter 2:4</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p61002004.01-2">For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment;</p> </div><h5>Hebrews 2:16</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p58002016.01-3">For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham.</p> </div><h5>John 8:44</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p43008044.01-4"><span class="woc">You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.</span> (<a href="http://www.esv.org" class="copyright">ESV</a>)</p> </div> </div>
[^fnref:wlc2]: <div class="esv"><h5>Job 1:12</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p18001012.01-1">And the <span class="small-caps">Lord</span> said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the <span class="small-caps">Lord</span>.</p> </div><h5>Matthew 8:31</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p40008031.01-2">And the demons begged him, saying, “If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of pigs.”</p> </div><h5>Luke 10:17</h5> <div class="esv-text"> <p id="p42010017.06-3">The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” (<a href="http://www.esv.org" class="copyright">ESV</a>)</p> </div> </div>
[^fnref:wlc3]: <div class="esv"><h5>1 Timothy 5:21</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p54005021.01-1">In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality.</p> </div><h5>Mark 8:38</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p41008038.01-2"><span class="woc">For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”</span></p> </div><h5>Hebrews 12:22</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p58012022.01-3">But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, (<a href="http://www.esv.org" class="copyright">ESV</a>)</p> </div> </div>
[^fnref:wlc4]: <div class="esv"><h5>Psalm 103:20</h5> <div class="esv-text"><div class="block-indent"> <p class="line-group" id="p19103020.01-1">Bless the <span class="small-caps">Lord</span>, O you his angels,<br /> <span class="indent"></span>you mighty ones who do his word,<br /> <span class="indent"></span>obeying the voice of his word!</p> </div> </div><h5>Psalm 104:4</h5> <div class="esv-text"><div class="block-indent"> <p class="line-group" id="p19104004.01-2">he makes his messengers winds,<br /> <span class="indent"></span>his ministers a flaming fire. (<a href="http://www.esv.org" class="copyright">ESV</a>)</p> </div> </div> </div>
[^fnref:wlc5]: <div class="esv"><h5>Hebrews 1:14</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p class="same-paragraph" id="p58001014.01-1">Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?</p> </div><h5>2 Kings 19:35</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p12019035.01-2">And that night the angel of the <span class="small-caps">Lord</span> went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies. (<a href="http://www.esv.org" class="copyright">ESV</a>)</p> </div> </div>