“Angels at War and at Work”
Original sermon given on Sunday, September 28, 2025 written and delivered by Pastor Jeff Leininger at First Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church.
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“Angels at War and at Work”
Revelation 12.7-12
In the name of the Living God and His Risen Christ. Amen.
Let us begin with what seems the easiest question: “What color are Angels’ clothes?” You might guess quickly, “White, of course: bright, shinning, beautiful, resplendent heavenly beings who do the Lord’s work.” But let’s think again. What kind of work do they do? Well, the scriptures say they are extensions of God’s providential care in the world. They knelt down and ministered to the physical needs of Jesus after his temptation in the wilderness for example, and in Gethsemane at his hour of anguish, he sweat drops of blood, and an angel ministered to him.
We also know that they join with us in singing the praises of Christ, our Lord. The Book of Revelation, for example, makes it clear that when we sing the praises of our great and gracious God, when our Alleluias to the Lamb who was slain are lifted up, we are joined with the voices of the heavenly host, which never fade. We’ll sing with the angels in our closing hymn today: “Angels, help us to adore Him / You behold Him face to face / Sun and moon, bow down before Him / All who dwell in time and space / Alleluia alleluia! Praise with us the God of grace.”
So Angels provide, they praise, and they also proclaim. When angels appear in the New Testament it is to point to Jesus. They bring across time and space the message of Christ’s birth and his resurrection and his ascension. They are heralds of the good news, and in all their speaking and singing and doing, they point to Christ.
But let me ask again: what color are their clothes? White? Are you sure? In fact, it is very seldom that we’re told in Scripture that they’re wearing white, and most of the time the color or style of their clothes is not mentioned at all. In the whole New Testament, there are only two occasions when angels appear clothed in white. At the Resurrection, when, after sitting in the presence of the glory of the risen Christ, their clothes gleam like lightening, or shine white as snow (Mt. 28.3; John 20.12). And, but once, only once, in the whole book of Revelation do we see them in white: when seven angels emerge from within the tabernacle of testimony, the very presence of God: “dressed in clean, shining linen” (Rev. 15.6). Only when in direct presence with God are their clothes turned white.
And that’s it. It seems puzzling to us, and at first counterintuitive that angels are hardly ever dressed in white. But if you think about it, it makes perfect sense. Angels are messengers and workers; they’re active getting their hands (and wings) dirty. They’d be far more likely to appear on the cable show “Dirty Jobs” than with the Kardashians.
After all, what would you wear, if you had to chase someone like yourself around, keeping them out of trouble? Exactly! Not a clean, white, spotless garment but one ready to get busy, working. They’re messengers who travel across time and space to proclaim Christ (that’s a lot of travelling). They’re healers with hands upon wounds and blood. They’re prisoner-springers, starting earthquakes and jail breaks. They’re swinging smoking censers and pouring out plagues and warning of woes and reaping and harvesting with a sickle the souls of men; and gathering and stamping on grapes; and hurling huge boulders into the sea; and on their knees measuring things. If he does have a pristine, nicely ironed white garment, I know my guardian angel at least left his at home in the closet.
And they wage war — against the devil and his hell-bound hosts, as described in this morning’s reading from Revelation 12. St. Michael the Archangel has been working, fighting, struggling. He’s pictured in the midst of the fight, the broil, certainly his clothes are a lot more dirty than white. But isn’t that where we want to find our angels, anyway — hard at work, amid the dirty business of spiritual battle?
It reminds me of one of my favorite baseball players of all time, Dan Gladden, who helped the MN Twins win two world series, in ’87 and ’91. (Sorry, Cardinals and Braves fans!) What I liked most about this guy was the condition of his jersey: at the end of the game, it was never crisp and clean without a mark on it. Isn’t that the guy you want to cheer for — covered in the infield dirt. That’s what you want in your angel too. I would wager that for most of us, our angels have had to get pretty dirty over the years.
Isn’t it curious, then, how often angels in Western Art are depicted as wearing white, considering how rare this is in scripture and the type of work they’re asked to do? (If you find an image of a working angel — one whose jersey is covered in grass stains and infield dirt, send it to me because that’s the one I want on my team.)
It’s rare, but I do recall seeing one angel depicted in art in a way that seemed better fitted for the biblical image. A painting of an angel by a woman raised in a very difficult home, who had spent some time on the street, and who often didn’t know where to turn. Her depiction of an angel was not in a purified white, but in a dirty burgundy. You could tell that this servant of God had been working, guarding, protecting — doing the work he was created to do. Think about it: we don’t need help from the safe, neat, tidy, clean aspects of life. It is in those moments of severest trial, of strongest temptation, of deepest despair, of greatest danger when we need the dirtiest angel — one that has been working hard for us, and alongside us.
The other thing I like about this depiction of angels is that it reminds me of Christ. That is, in the end, what angels are supposed to do for us: point us to Him, the great conqueror. Of course, the risen, ascended, glorified Lord Jesus shines bright as the sun in many places in scripture. But in the Incarnation, we know that Jesus did not stay safely removed from the human condition but rather got himself dirty in the business of our salvation. Our Lord was human in every way we are and fought every temptation we fight — yet without sin. And in his work of the passion and the cross, Jesus became covered with the filth of the battle against sin, Satan, and suffering. Just like we need, more often than not “dirty angels”, we need a “dirty savior” so to speak — covered in the grease and grime and grit of battle for us.
This is a battle he has ultimately won. St. John in Revelation 12 hears in the throne room of heaven a loud voice, “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ.” Though the battle rages still on earth, it’s ultimate victory is certain. In the cross. Christ descended into our sin and suffering, paying the penalty and defeating Satan; in the Resurrection he lifts us up out of the dirt and dinge giving us eternal, secure victory and glory. He also shines his glory upon us, so that when in his presence we glow with his radiance as his baptized, redeemed people. Like the rare, angelic white garments of the angels, our garments too are only white because of his presence and grace.
So thank God for angels today — and watch carefully what they wear. And connect with them by caring for others, singing His praises, and proclaiming the good news. But remember, you might also be asked to get your jersey dirty with them too in helping others.
Come soon Lord Jesus. Amen.