Welcome again to Things Unseen, and especially if you're new to our podcast.

We've devoted this week to thinking about angels in the run-up to Christmas, and we

ended yesterday reflecting for a moment on the visit of the Archangel Gabriel to Mary

to announce the coming of the birth of Jesus.

And we certainly see the wonderful ministry of angels in his life.

Now you might think that's not surprising because he's their creator and their king, but

I think it's worth noting that angelic appearances in Scripture come in clusters, especially

when the Kingdom of God has reached a crucial point of either advance or severe conflict.

And that's exactly what we find in the life of Jesus, both of them.

I said yesterday that the description given to these angelic creatures in Daniel chapter

4 is a very interesting one, they are watchers, and they were watching over Jesus during

his ministry.

Remember how he said he could call 12 legions of angels and they would come at a moment's

notice.

He didn't actually call for their help at that time, but there are a couple of occasions

mentioned in the gospels when angels did come, and they came specifically to minister to

our Savior.

I find them very moving incidents and today I want to reflect on them just for a moment

or two.

The first occasion is early in his ministry.

Jesus had been baptized and then you remember he was led by the Spirit into the wilderness

to face down the devil.

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